---
title: "Satellite Images: After the Attack on Novorossiysk, Russia's Black Sea Fleet May Have Lost Two Kalibr Missile Carriers"
description: "OSINT analysts, based on satellite images, recorded the possible destruction of Kalibr launch systems on the frigates \"Admiral Makarov\" and \"Admiral Essen\" after the August 12 attack on Novorossiysk. There is no official confirmation."
date: 2026-08-20T01:02:03.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/satellite-images-russia-black-sea-fleet-loses-kalibr-carriers-novorossiysk-attack
tags: [russia-black-sea-fleet, kalibr-missiles, novorossiysk-attack, ukraine-drone-strike, admiral-makarov, admiral-essen]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Satellite Images: After the Attack on Novorossiysk, Russia's Black Sea Fleet May Have Lost Two Kalibr Missile Carriers

![Russian Black Sea Fleet frigate Dubrovitsy (hull 799), a Kalibr missile carrier possibly affected by the strike on Novorossiysk](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/20/russia-black-sea-fleet-loses-kalibr-carriers-novorossiysk-attack/russia-black-sea-fleet-loses-kalibr-carriers-novorossiysk-attack-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- On August 12, 2026, the Novorossiysk naval base was attacked: the frigates "Admiral Makarov" and "Admiral Essen," the small missile boat "Buyan-M," and the patrol ship "Vasily Bykov" were struck.
- An OSINT satellite image shows possible destruction of the UKSK 3S14 (Kalibr) launch systems and the "Trebovaniye-M" combat information and control system on both frigates.
- If confirmed, Russia's Black Sea Fleet loses two of its main Kalibr carriers; repairs could take no less than a year.
- The damage assessment is unofficial and is based on the analysis of a single satellite image.

On August 12, 2026, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, as part of a joint operation, struck the naval base in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai. According to official statements from Kyiv, four warships were hit at once: the Project 11356R frigates "Admiral Makarov" and "Admiral Essen," the Project 21631 small missile boat "Buyan-M," and the Project 22160 patrol ship "Vasily Bykov." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the operation was carried out at a distance of more than 300 kilometers from the front line, using "Palianytsia" jet drones, "Neptune" missiles, and unmanned maritime systems. Now, a week later, the first data on the actual scale of damage to the frigates specifically has emerged — the ships that carry the main strike weapons of the Black Sea Fleet.

### Satellite Images and the Kalibr Launchers

The portal "Militarnyi," cited by RBC-Ukraine, analyzed materials from OSINT researchers Absolutely Reliable Source, who published a satellite image of the base in Novorossiysk. According to the analysts' assessment, damage to the bow sections of the ships is recorded: the deck is deformed, and most importantly, the 8-cell module of the universal shipborne vertical launch system (UKSK 3S14), designed specifically for launching Kalibr cruise missiles, has been destroyed. Additionally, according to this data, the "Trebovaniye-M" combat information and control system, as well as radar systems, electronic warfare and communications complexes, have been damaged. If these observations are confirmed, both frigates will effectively lose the ability to use their main strike weapons.

### Strike on the Flagship and Threat to the Fleet's Potential

Particular attention is warranted for the condition of the "Admiral Makarov" — the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. According to available data, the hit struck the area of the vertical launch systems, causing an internal detonation and the burning out of the UKSK 3S14 launch canisters. Analysts also point to damage to radar, electronic warfare, and communications systems. If the damage to the launch systems on both frigates is confirmed, the Black Sea Fleet will lose two of its main Kalibr carriers at once. By preliminary estimate, both ships will require lengthy repairs, and their return to the combat roster could take no less than a year.

### Contradictory Data

The key caveat: the extent of damage to the frigates at this time is based exclusively on the analysis of a single satellite image and has not been officially confirmed by either side — this information requires further verification. Moreover, there is an inconsistency in the chronology of repeated strikes in open sources: in one paragraph of the report on the strike "in early 2026," the context refers to the "Admiral Makarov," whereas the attached photo captioned "frigate damage" is dated March 2026 and labeled as the "Admiral Essen." Thus, the exact list of ships that had previously sustained damage and their current condition remain a matter of discussion and are not an unambiguously established fact.

### Context: The 11356R Series and the Third Frigate

The "Admiral Makarov" and the "Admiral Essen" belong to the Project 11356R "Burevestnik" — a series of multirole frigates developed on the basis of the export Talwar-class ships built for the Indian Navy. The Black Sea Fleet included three frigates of this series. The only surviving one — the "Admiral Grigorovich" — is now in the Baltic region: it was last spotted when it opened warning fire on a British yacht in the Strait of Dover, and in April, according to available data, it escorted several tankers of the "shadow fleet" through the strait. The loss of two of the three ships of the series significantly reduces the missile potential of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.

### How the Operation Was Carried Out

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the strike on Novorossiysk was delivered from a distance of over 300 kilometers from the front line. The operation employed "Palianytsia" jet drones, "Neptune" cruise missiles, and unmanned maritime systems. The combined use of means of different classes made it possible to strike several large surface ships standing on combat duty in the base. The results of the attack, in particular the actual condition of the frigates' launch systems, will be clarified as new satellite data and open-source confirmations become available.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Russia's Fleet May Be Left Without Two Ships for Launching Kalibr Missiles: Satellite Images](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/flot-rf-mig-zalishitis-dvoh-korabliv-zapusku-1787187157.html) - Ссылка на «Милитарный» и OSINT Absolutely Reliable Source: спутниковый снимок, повреждения УКСК 3С14, БИУС «Требование-М», РЛС/РЭБ; ремонт от года. Оговорка: официально не подтверждено.
- [Russia May Have Lost Two Kalibr Missile Carriers at Once, - OSINT](https://www.unian.net/war/rossiya-mogla-poteryat-srazu-dva-korablya-admiral-makarov-i-admiral-essen-13475016.html) - Подтверждает OSINT-версию о возможной потере двух носителей «Калибра» после атаки на Новороссийск.
- [Massive Strike on Novorossiysk: Ukraine Claims the Destruction of Four Russian Military Ships](https://rus.delfi.ee/statja/120603419/massirovannyy-udar-po-novorossiysku-ukraina-zayavila-o-porazhenii-chetyreh-voennyh-korabley-rf) - Подтверждает факт атаки 12 августа и перечень поражённых кораблей (два фрегата 11356Р, «Буян-М», «Василий Быков»).
- [Navy Shows Satellite Image of Sunk Russian Ship "Izumrud"](https://www.unian.net/war/ukraina-unichtozhila-korabl-fsb-rf-izumrud-poyavilsya-sputnikovyy-snimok-13440915.html) - Подтверждает OSINT-версию о возможной потере двух носителей «Калибра» после атаки на Новороссийск.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which ships were struck in the attack on Novorossiysk on August 12, 2026?
**A:** According to Kyiv's statement, the Project 11356R frigates "Admiral Makarov" and "Admiral Essen," the small missile boat "Buyan-M," and the patrol ship "Vasily Bykov" were hit.

### Q: What exactly, according to OSINT data, was damaged on the frigates?
**A:** According to the Absolutely Reliable Source satellite image, the deck in the bow section is deformed, the 8-cell module of the UKSK 3S14 launch system for Kalibr missiles is destroyed, the "Trebovaniye-M" combat information and control system is damaged, as well as radar, electronic warfare, and communications. On the flagship "Admiral Makarov," an internal detonation and the burning out of the canisters were recorded.

### Q: Have these damages been officially confirmed?
**A:** No. The assessment is based on the analysis of a single satellite image and has not been officially confirmed; the information requires further verification.

### Q: How many Project 11356R frigates were part of the Black Sea Fleet?
**A:** Three: the "Admiral Makarov," the "Admiral Essen," and the "Admiral Grigorovich." The latter, according to available data, is now in the Baltic region.