Russia Equips Grachonok Class Patrol Boats With Anti Drone Nets.

Moscow; May 2026: Russian forces have equipped Project 21980 Grachonok-class anti-sabotage boats with nets designed to counter Ukrainian drones. Serhii Sternenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, published photos on social media.

These vessels are responsible for securing the waters around the illegally constructed bridge linking occupied Crimea with Russian territory. Following a strike by a Ukrainian naval drone on the night of April 30, nine crew members aboard a Russian Grachonok-class boat were killed, and two others were wounded. The boats are equipped with Kalmar hydroacoustic systems and Anapa stations to monitor underwater activity and detect combat divers and saboteurs.

The boat is armed with a 14.5 mm MTPU heavy machine gun, DP-65A and DP-64 anti-saboteur grenade launchers, as well as Igla and Verba man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS). Russia’s Black Sea Fleet operates nine Grachonok-class boats, including the one destroyed in the April 30 attack. Another 04 boats serve with the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation under the command of Russia’s Southern Federal District.

Earlier, on 30th April 2026, 09 crew members were killed and 02 others were wounded when the Russian Project 21980 anti-saboteur boat Grachonok was struck on the night of April 30. This was reported by the OSINT resource Cyber Boroshno on its Telegram channel. It is worth noting that the Grachonok is designed for a crew of 06, so there were likely divers or gunners on board for defense against drones.

That same night, an FSB Project 12200 Sobol patrol boat was also struck. The strikes were carried out by maritime unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAVs) near the Crimean Bridge, which these boats were guarding. The Ukrainian Navy noted that these boats are key assets of the FSB Border Service’s Coast Guard and the Russian Navy.

They were responsible for securing the waters around the illegally constructed bridge connecting occupied Crimea with Russian territory. The Vympel Design Bureau developed the Project 21980 Grachonok anti-saboteur boat for round-the-clock protection of naval bases and maritime infrastructure facilities.

The boat is equipped with Kalmar hydroacoustic systems and Anapa stations for monitoring the underwater environment and detecting saboteur divers. The boat’s armament consists of a 14.5 mm MTPU machine gun mount, DP-65A/DP-64 grenade launcher systems, and Igla/Verba man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The Russian Black Sea Fleet has 9 such boats, including the one that was destroyed; another 4 are in service with the FSB Border Guard Service under the command of the Southern Federal District.

The Project 12200 Sobol high-speed patrol boat was developed by the Almaz Design Bureau to intercept violators and protect territorial waters in the coastal zone. To achieve speeds of up to 48 knots, the boat is equipped with an automated trim control system that dynamically adjusts the vessel’s trim. Its armament includes a 14.5 mm MTPU machine gun mount, and its fuel supply provides a range of 03 days. The Russian FSB has 11 such boats in the Black Sea-Azov Sea area.

Team Maverick.