--- title: "GUR reports strike on the frigate Admiral Essen in Novorossiysk: the ship Russia uses to launch Kalibr missiles at Ukraine" description: "The GUR reported a night strike on Novorossiysk: the frigate Admiral Essen — a carrier of Kalibr missiles used by Russia against Ukraine — was hit. This is not the first attack on the ship in 2026." date: 2026-09-09T12:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/gur-strikes-admiral-essen-frigate-in-novorossiysk tags: [ukraine, russia, naval-strike, kalibr-missiles, novorossiysk, admiral-essen, gur, black-sea-fleet] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # GUR reports strike on the frigate Admiral Essen in Novorossiysk: the ship Russia uses to launch Kalibr missiles at Ukraine ## 🎯 Key Points - The GUR reported hitting the frigate Admiral Essen and the infrastructure of the Novorossiysk naval base on the night of 9 September 2026 - A fire broke out on the ship's deck superstructure after the hit - The Admiral Essen is a carrier of Kalibr missiles used by Russia for strikes on Ukraine - In August 2026, Ukrainian forces had already struck the same frigate and other ships in Novorossiysk On the night of 9 September 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Forces carried out a strike on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, as a result of which, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Project 11356 frigate Admiral Essen was hit — one of the key carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, which Russia systematically uses for strikes on Ukrainian territory. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing an official GUR statement. ### Deepstrike operation in the waters of Novorossiysk According to intelligence, the strike was carried out during a so-called deepstrike operation conducted by operators of the GUR's Active Operations Department together with other components of the Ukrainian Defence Forces. The target of the operation was not only a specific warship, but also the coastal infrastructure of the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, which, according to Kyiv, provides logistics and maintenance for the missile carriers. ### Ship damage and the tactical significance of the strike As a result of the hit, a fire broke out on the deck superstructure of the frigate Admiral Essen, as evidenced by data provided by the Ukrainian side. The destruction of this ship has direct tactical significance for Ukraine: the Admiral Essen belongs to the class of frigates armed with Kalibr (3M-54) cruise missiles, which Russia uses for mass strikes on energy infrastructure, cities and military facilities on Ukrainian territory. Taking out of service even one such carrier reduces the missile potential of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea. ### Not the first strike on the Admiral Essen It is worth noting that the frigate Admiral Essen has not for the first time become a target for Ukrainian forces. In August 2026, the GUR and the Ukrainian Defence Forces reported hitting several warships in Novorossiysk: the frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, as well as the patrol ship Vasily Bykov. The repeated strike on the same ship indicates that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, the Admiral Essen was either repaired or the damage from the previous strike did not fully disable it. This underscores Kyiv's consistent line of action in neutralising missile carriers in the enemy's rear. ### Context and the parties' reactions At the time of publication, the Russian side provided no independent confirmation or refutation of the hit on the frigate. Ukrainian media outlets — RBC-Ukraine, Glavred, Pravda.ru (Ukrainian edition) and Korrespondent — unanimously cite the GUR statement as the sole source of information on the details of the strike. The operation in Novorossiysk fits into a broader campaign by the Ukrainian Defence Forces to hit Russian Navy facilities in the ports of the Black Sea Fleet, which Kyiv has been carrying out throughout 2026. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Admiral Essen hit in Novorossiysk — the ship Russia uses to launch Kalibr missiles at Ukraine](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/novorosiysku-urazili-admiral-essen-kogo-rf-1788957838.html) - Подтверждает факт удара по фрегату и инфраструктуре ВМБ Новороссийск, ссылается на ГУР. Указывает на deepstrike-операцию Департамента активных действий. - [Strike on Novorossiysk: Ukrainian Defence Forces finish off the frigate Admiral Essen](https://glavred.info/war/udar-po-novorossiysku-sily-oborony-dobivayut-fregat-admiral-essen-10795304.html) - Подтверждает удар и пожар на корабле. Использует формулировку «добивают», что указывает на повторный характер атаки. - [GUR once again hits the Kalibr carrier Admiral Essen: details of the attack on Novorossiysk](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/09/09/8052618/) - Подтверждает повторный характер удара и роль корабля как носителя «Калибров». Ссылается на заявление ГУР. - [Details of the attack on Novorossiysk become known](https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4910379-staly-yzvestny-podrobnosty-ataky-na-novorossyisk) - Предоставляет дополнительные детали атаки, согласуется с данными остальных источников. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What happened in Novorossiysk on the night of 9 September 2026? **A:** According to the GUR of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the Ukrainian Defence Forces carried out a deepstrike operation on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk. As a result, the base's infrastructure and the frigate Admiral Essen were hit, with a fire breaking out on its deck superstructure. ### Q: Why is the strike on the Admiral Essen important for Ukraine? **A:** The Project 11356 frigate Admiral Essen is a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, which Russia uses for strikes on Ukrainian territory. Taking out such a ship reduces the missile potential of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. ### Q: Is this the first strike on the Admiral Essen in 2026? **A:** No. In August 2026, the GUR and the Ukrainian Defence Forces had already reported hitting the frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, as well as the patrol ship Vasily Bykov, in Novorossiysk. The 9 September strike is a repeat one. ### Q: Has Russia confirmed the fact of the frigate being damaged? **A:** At the time of publication, the Russian side provided no independent confirmation or refutation. Information on the ship being hit is based on a statement by Ukraine's GUR, relayed through Ukrainian media.