Russian forces strip Ukrainian warship Konstantin Olshansky in Crimea
Russian forces have dismantled and looted the Ukrainian Navy’s large landing ship Konstantin Olshansky, seized during the 2014 occupation of Crimea, leaving behind only its hull.
The vessel, located at the 13th Ship Repair Plant of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, has been stripped of nearly all its equipment, including watertight doors, seals, and interior fittings. Photos show the ship’s bow and ramp missing, confirming that restoration is now virtually impossible, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The Konstantin Olshansky has reportedly been used as a “donor” for spare parts to repair similar Project 775 landing ships in service with the Russian Navy.
Built in Poland in 1985, the vessel was among the Ukrainian fleet’s largest landing ships, designed to transport troops and military equipment. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, it joined the Ukrainian Navy and took part in NATO maritime security operations, becoming one of the fleet’s key assets.
During Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the ship and six other Ukrainian vessels were blockaded in Donuzlav Bay. Despite pressure from Russian forces, the crew refused to defect. On March 24, Russian troops stormed and captured the ship after Ukrainian sailors disabled its systems.
Since then, the vessel had remained docked in Sevastopol. In March 2024, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the Konstantin Olshansky with a Neptune cruise missile, a strike later confirmed by Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.
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