The Russian frigate Admiral Essen, a carrier of eight Kalibr cruise missiles, was hit during the March 2 drone attack on the port of Novorossiysk, Kyiv Post was informed by a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
“The SBU, together with the Defense Forces, struck the Admiral Essen. The strike hit the ship’s central superstructure,” the source said.
The attack reportedly caused explosions of the ship’s grenade launchers for heat traps and radio signal scatterers, and damaged the TK-25 electronic warfare complex, which detects radar radiation and creates interference.
The ZR-90 Orekh target illumination radars, part of the frigate’s anti-aircraft missile guidance system, were also hit.
“The main surveillance radar Fregat-M2M, responsible for long-range detection of air and surface targets, was probably damaged,” the source added.
According to the SBU, the operation broke through a dense, multi-layered Russian air defense system around Novorossiysk Bay and the port.
The deck fire lasted roughly 18 hours, indicating serious internal damage and challenging emergency response efforts.
“The ship sustained critical damage, significantly limiting the use of its Kalibr cruise missiles. The frigate cannot currently strike Ukrainian territory,” the source said.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+, which analyzed satellite imagery of Novorossiysk with the CyberBoroshno and Harbuz teams, confirmed the defeat of Admiral Essen and the RK Molniya (Project 1241).
They also noted that a Project 12700 minesweeper and MPK-217 “Eisk” were declared hit, while the status of Admiral Makarov, a Project 266ME minesweeper, Project 266M minesweeper, and MPK-199 Kasimov remained uncertain.
Interestingly, on Wednesday, Exilenova+ also reported another attack on Novorossiysk, writing the city “has been under attack for four hours, repelling air targets.”
Earlier reports indicated that the pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the frigate Admiral Essen, suffered a serious setback on April 3, 2022, when it was damaged by the Ukrainian Naval Forces using the Neptune coastal missile system.
The frigate had previously fired missiles at civilian areas in Ukraine, including Odesa.
Admiral Essen is the second frigate of Project 11356R, serving with the Russian Black Sea Fleet as part of the 30th Division of Surface Ships.
The ship was laid down on July 8, 2011, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad and launched on Nov. 7, 2014.
From May-June 2017, the frigate took part in missile strikes on the Syrian provinces of Palmyra and Hama.
The vessel has a crew of 180 personnel and can accommodate up to 20 marines. Its armament includes:
- 100 mm A-190 artillery mount
- Anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems
- Torpedo and anti-submarine weapons
- High-precision Kalibr cruise missiles
On Wednesday, unverified reports on Russian Telegram channels claimed multiple Russian warships were damaged during a large-scale drone strike on Novorossiysk in the early hours of March 2.
The Telegram channel “Spy Dossier,” reportedly run by “an employee of one of the special services,” said at least 200 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeted port infrastructure, damaging five warships, including the minesweeper Valentin Pikul, and causing three deaths and 16 injuries.
Other vessels reportedly affected include Yeysk and Kasimov.
The Valentin Pikul, part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since 2001, conducts mine reconnaissance, escort, and minelaying operations.
Separately, several Ukrainian media speculated that an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate was destroyed, but Exilenova+ later reported this was false, noting the frigate “has not been seen in the port of Novorossiysk for a long time.”
Satellite imagery reportedly shows Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen in port.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported on March 3 that a Russian ship had been destroyed but gave no details.
Kyiv Post sources within the SBU said drones from the SBU’s Alpha Special Operations Center, alongside other Defense Forces units, targeted military and oil infrastructure in Novorossiysk on March 1-2, hitting warships and port facilities. However, they did not specify which vessels were struck or the extent of the damage.
Novorossiysk’s oil infrastructure was previously struck on Nov. 25, 2025, damaging the Sheskharis oil terminal, air defense systems, and a landing ship.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna, later confirmed that the US issued a diplomatic démarche over concerns the strike affected American economic interests. The terminal, owned by Transneft, also handles Kazakh oil via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which includes US energy giant Chevron.