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Russia continues to expand its mine countermeasure fleet with the laying down of a new Project 12700 Alexandrit minesweeper and the commissioning of another, as reported by TASS. The Dmitry Glukhov, named after Hero of the Soviet Union Captain 3rd Rank Dmitry Glukhov, was laid down at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in St. Petersburg on April 24. Days later, on April 30, the ocean minesweeper Polyarny was officially commissioned into the Russian Navy, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Coverage comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, provided detailed reporting on both events. The coverage of the keel-laying ceremony included a direct quote from Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov, who praised the construction as "an excellent example of the successful cooperation between the customer, designer, and builder." The report noted that nine Project 12700 ships are already serving in the Russian Navy, with seven more at various stages of construction at the shipyard.

A separate TASS factbox offered background on the Project 12700 class, explaining that the project was developed in the 1990s by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau. It highlighted the need for a new series because the Russian Navy's then-current minesweepers (Projects 266M and 12650), built in the 1970s and 1980s, were no longer capable of effectively neutralizing modern mines.

The commissioning ceremony for the Polyarny took place in Baltiysk under the leadership of Northern Fleet Commander-in-Chief Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov. The Defense Ministry reported that the ship underwent factory sea trials and state tests at the Baltic Fleet's naval ranges before the flag-raising ceremony.

Key claims

  • The Dmitry Glukhov is the sixteenth ship of Project 12700 to be built at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard.
  • Nine Project 12700 ships are already in service, with seven more under construction.
  • The Polyarny is the tenth ship of Project 12700 to be commissioned into the Russian Navy.
  • The ships are designed to search for, sweep, and destroy mines in coastal areas and the near-sea zone.
  • They are equipped with an automated control system, contact and magnetic sweeps, and modern sonar systems mounted on the ship and on remotely operated and autonomous vehicles.
  • The hull is a monolithic fiberglass construction formed using vacuum infusion.
  • The state contract for development work on the lead ship was signed on March 30, 2007, and renewed on June 10, 2014.
  • The Polyarny has a displacement of 890 tons, a length of 61 meters, a width of 10 meters, a full load speed of 16.5 knots, and a crew of over 40 sailors.