Potential Kalibr Carrier: What Is Known About The Russian Icebreaker "Purga" Struck By Drones

The ship became heavily waterlogged and collided with the neighboring vessel Vice-Admiral Burylychev.

The Russian Purga Project 23550 combat icebreaker, which Ukrainian Defense Force drones struck on March 25 in the Leningrad region, probably has the capability to carry eight Kalibr cruise missiles or Kh-35 anti-ship missiles. This is according to Defense Express.

To equip the icebreaker with missiles, it should carry a Kalibr-K container launcher, analysts point out.

In addition, according to Defense Express, the Purga has a landing pad on board, as well as a hangar for a Ka-27 helicopter. The vessel is capable of carrying several boats and amphibious hovercrafts.

The Purga has a full displacement of 8,500 tons, a length of 114.5 meters, a width of 19.5 meters, a maximum speed of up to 18 knots, and a crew of 60 people.

Defense Express points out that it is a fairly large ship, so the drone that hit it must have had a powerful warhead. Analysts believe it could be a drone converted from a single-engine A-22 aircraft.

The publication also reported that the UAV hit at about waterline level as the ship was heavily waterlogged, probably sinking to the bottom, and also piled onto the Project 22011 oceanographic vessel Vice Admiral Burilichev.

The Purga icebreaker was launched in 2022 and was undergoing retrofitting at the Vyborg Shipyard, which is located 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Later, the Russians planned to transfer it for completion to the Admiralty Shipyards enterprise, which is part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation of the Russian Federation.

March 25, the General Staff of the AFU confirmed a joint operation of the Defense Forces, which hit the Purga combat icebreaker at the Vyborg Shipyard in Russia's Leningrad region. It was reported that the Russian occupants were planning to use the ship to act as part of the Russian Federal Security Service's border service.

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