At the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant in Saint Petersburg, modern Russian naval tugboat Kapitan Ushakov capsized and partially sank alongside the Baltic Shipyard's pier. The event caused flooding in the auxiliary machinery spaces, the Russian Western Interregional Investigative Directorate for Transport reports.
This incident marks another setback for the Russian Navy. Since 2022, Ukraine has destroyed approximately 33% of the ships of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The most painful loss was the sinking of the cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian fleet. In 2022, it struck Ukraine's Zmiinyi (Snake) Island after Ukrainian border guards refused to surrender, famously declaring: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself!”
According to the agency, no injuries were reported. However, the extent of the damage is still being assessed. The agency is investigating potential safety violations during the construction work.
The tugboat was launched on 14 June 2022, but it was under final construction and outfitting for another three years in Saint Petersburg. It is designed for towing ships in icy and open waters, escort operations, firefighting at sea, and refloating grounded vessels.
It measures nearly 70 meters in length, 15 meters in width, and 3,200 tons in displacement. The tug can sail up to 3,000 nautical miles with a 30-day autonomy and features a helipad.
Earlier, Russia canceled its main naval parade of the year in Saint Petersburg. The parade cancellation might have been linked to the military leadership’s fears due to real losses suffered by the fleet. An event meant to demonstrate Russia's power risked having the opposite effect, causing discouragement and fear.
