| Berdiansk port attack | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theRussian invasion of Ukraine | |||||
 The Alligator-class landing shipSaratov on fire, with the Ropucha-class landing shipsCaesar Kunikov andNovocherkassk steaming out of port after the attack | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Russia |  Ukraine | ||||
| Units involved | |||||
 Russian Navy | |||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
Sunk | None | ||||
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TheBerdiansk port attack was a strike carried out byUkrainian forces againstRussian Navy ships moored in thePort of Berdiansk on 24 March 2022, during theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[3] TheAlligator-class landing shipSaratov was sunk, and one of the twoRopucha-class landing ships took damage but was able to leave the port.[4][5]
At the time, it was the heaviest naval loss suffered by Russia during the invasion, and one of Ukraine's most significant successes.[6][7]
On 26 February 2022, Russian troopscaptured the Port of Berdiansk and theBerdiansk Airport.[8][9] By the following day, the Russian military had taken full control of the city.[10][11]
Beginning on 14 March,[12] the port was used as a logistics hub by the Russians to support their offensive in southern Ukraine and in particular thesiege of Mariupol. On 21 March, Russian mediaZvezda reported on the arrival of amphibious transports inBerdiansk. A Russian navy officer described it as "a landmark event that will open logistical possibilities to theBlack Sea Navy".[13]
The attack occurred at 7:45 on 24 March. Fire onboard theAlligator-class landing shipSaratov caused a large explosion, as the vessel was apparently laden with ammunition. Russia reported that the ship had sunk following a fire and explosions, but did not mention the Ukrainian attack.[14] The explosion caused damage to two nearbyRopucha-class landing ships, theTsezar Kunikov, and theNovocherkassk. Both of these ships escaped the port while fighting their own fires, and later returned toCrimea. Other damage included large oil tanks on the pier and a nearby merchant ship that had been moored there since before the invasion, both of which were still burning the next day.[15]
Ukrainian officials claimed that the attack was carried out with aOTR-21 Tochkatactical ballistic missile.[6][5][1]
Satellite imagery later confirmed theSaratov had sunk in the harbour, with its superstructure visible above the surface.[15] Unconfirmed reports suggested that eight crewmen were killed on theTsezar Kunikov and three on theNovocherkassk, but losses on theSaratov were not reported.[1]
British intelligence assessed that the sinking of theSaratov would damage the Russian Navy's confidence to operate close to the Ukrainian coastline.[16] As of 31 March, no further attempts to resupply with amphibious ships had been observed, according to theUnited States Department of Defense.[17]
At the time, the attack that sankSaratov was not mentioned by Russia. On 2 July Russia announced that the ship had been damaged by a missile strike and scuttled by its crew "to prevent detonation of the on-board munitions", and that it had been salvaged and would be towed toKerch in Crimea.[14]
BothNovocherkassk andTsezar Kunikov were later repaired and returned to service. On 26 December 2023Novocherkassk was sunk andTsezar Kunikov was destroyed on 14 February 2024.
(Translation) On March 24, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired rockets at the port of Berdyansk, damaging two large landing ships. A strong fire broke out at the large landing ship"Saratov", as a result it had to be sunk at the pier. In fact, this shelling is the only more or less significant success of the Ukrainian military in the confrontation with the Russian fleet
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