Gyurza-M-class gunboat explained

The Project 58155 Gyurza-M class is a series of small armored gunboats in service with the Ukrainian Navy. The first two vessels were laid down at the Kuznia na Rybalskomu (previously Leninska Kuznia) shipbuilding plant in October 2012.[1] Originally it was planned to build nine such vessels by 2017. In December 2013 the Ministry of Defence withdrew its contract. The class is named after the Levant viper,, in Ukrainian.

In mid-2014 construction of the Gyurza-M class was revived and the first two vessels were launched in late 2015.[2] In December 2016 they officially joined the Ukrainian Navy.[3] The new military contract for twenty vessels was to be completed by 2020.

Development and design

The modernized Project 58155 Gurza-M for the Ukrainian Navy started to be built at the Leninska Kuznia in October 2012.[4] Originally it was planned to build nine such vessels by 2017. In December 2013 the Ministry of Defense withdrew its contract.

In summer of 2014 construction of Gurza-M was revived and the first two vessels were expected to be completed in fall of 2015.[5] In December 2016 the first two Gurza-M officially joined the Ukrainian Navy. The new military contract is for 20 vessels that should be completed by 2020.

Vessels

Name Pennant number ProducerHull numberLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFleetHomeport Status
BK-01 AkkermanP174
(U174)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu0102325 October 2012[6] 11 November 20156 December 2016[7] [8] Formerly Ukrainian NavyWestern Naval BaseCaptured by Russia.[9] [10]
BK-02 BerdianskP175
(U175)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu01024[11] 25 October 201211 November 20156 December 2016Ukrainian NavyAzov Naval BaseActive in service
BK-03 NikopolP176
(U176)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu010287 April 2016[12] 20 June 20171 July 2018[13] Ukrainian NavyAzov Naval BaseActive in service
BK-04 KremenchukP177
(U177)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu010297 April 201630 June 20171 July 2018Ukrainian NavyAzov Naval BaseCaptured by Russia.
BK-05 LubnyP178
(U178)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu010307 April 201629 June 2017[14] [15] 1 July 2018Ukrainian NavyAzov Naval BaseSunk, and subsequently raised, by Russian forces during the Siege of Mariupol.[16] [17]
BK-06 VyshhorodP179
(U179)		Kuznia na Rybalskomu010317 April 201624 June 20171 July 2018Ukrainian NavyWestern Naval BaseCaptured by Russia.
BK-07 KostopilP180Kuznia na Rybalskomu20182 April 20196 September 2020Ukrainian NavyTo be assigned Active
BK-08 BuchaP181Kuznia na Rybalskomu010368 February 201930 September 202126 May 2023Ukrainian NavyTo be assigned Active[18]

Operators

Ukrainian Navy: As of May 2023, 4 active; 3 captured by Russia; 1 sunk and then raised by Russia. Previously, 2 ships of the class were captured by Russia and returned in 2018, were repaired and returned to active service in 2020.[19] On 4 November 2022, a Gyurza-M-class gunboat of the Ukrainian Navy was damaged by a Lancet drone. The attack was recorded on video by another UAV.[20]
  • Russian Navy: 3 captured complete in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 1 sunk and then raised in May of 2022. BK-01 was renamed "Marauder" after an 1878 ship of the Russian Navy, and was rearmed with 2 2M-3 turrets, replacing the BM-5M systems which were put on display with other captured equipment.[21]

    • Incidents

    Kerch Strait incident

    See main article: Kerch Strait incident. On 25 November 2018, two Ukrainian Gyurza-M-class boats, Berdyansk and Nikopol were seized by the Russian Navy. They were captured while they tried to cross the Kerch Strait en route to Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in the Sea of Azov. During the incident, three Ukrainian crew members were injured.[22] [23] The ships were returned on 18 November 2019, but Ukraine accused Russia of returning them in sub-par condition.[24]

    2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

    See main article: Southern Ukraine offensive. Following the capture of Berdiansk by Russian forces, P 179-Vyshhorod and P 174-Akkerman were captured by Russian forces.[25] [26] [27] Russian forces captured another two craft, P-177 Kremenchuk and P-178 Lubny, during the Siege of Mariupol.[28] [29]

    On 4 November 2022, a Gyurza-M-class gunboat of the Ukrainian Navy was damaged by a ZALA Lancet drone, the first time a Lancet attacked a naval target during the war.[30]

    On 28 December 2023, P-181 Bucha is reported to be part of Kyiv air defences.[31]

    See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Украина завершает создание речного военного флота . https://web.archive.org/web/20150705235240/http://sd.net.ua/2013/01/03/ukraina-zavershaet-sozdanie-rechnogo-voennogo.html . 5 July 2015 . Ukraine completes the creation of a river fleet . Agency of Strategic Research . 3 January 2013 . 27 November 2018.
    2. Web site: На столичном заводе ударными темпами делают бронекатеры для одесского речного дивизиона ВМСУ . https://web.archive.org/web/20150706000204/http://dumskaya.net/news/na-stolichnom-zavode-udarnymi-tempami-delayut-br-043365/ . 6 July 2015 . At the capital plant, armored boats for the Odesa river division of the Naval Forces . Dumskaya . 3 February 2015.
    3. Web site: Year of Ukrainian arms: smashing "Thunder" and "Missile Shield" . . 8 January 2017 . 27 November 2018.
    4. Web site: Украина завершает создание речного военного флота . Ukraine is completing creation of the River battle fleet . 2023-04-02 . ASD-inform . ru-RU.
    5. Web site: На столичном заводе ударными темпами делают бронекатеры для одесского речного дивизиона ВМСУ . At the capital city factory in shocking pace are being built armored boats for the Odesa river division of Ukrainian Navy. . 2023-04-02 . dumskaya.net.
    6. Web site: Закладка бронекатеров "Гюрза-М" для ВМС Украины . Armored "Gyurza-M" for the Ukrainian Navy . bmpd.livejournal.com . 26 October 2012 . 27 November 2018.
    7. Web site: Бронекатера "Аккерман" и "Бердянск" вошли в состав Военно-морских сил Украины . Armored boats "Akkerman" and "Berdyansk" became part of the Naval Forces of Ukraine . dumskaya.net . ru . 6 December 2016 . 27 November 2018.
    8. Web site: Українським ВМС в Одесі передали нові броньовані катери . The Ukrainian Navy in Odesa transferred new armored boats . zaxid.net . 6 December 2016 . 27 November 2018.
    9. Web site: Analysis: Russian Armed Forces capture dozen Ukrainian ships in Berdyansk. 2022-03-18. 2022-03-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20220315091937/https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis/11502-analysis-russian-armed-forces-capture-dozen-ukrainian-ships-in-berdyansk.html. dead.
    10. Web site: ВМС України втратили у Маріуполі корабель управління "Донбас" та МБАК "Кременчук". Ukrainian MOD. uk. 16 April 2022.
    11. http://files.balancer.ru/forums/attaches/2015/03/01-3761280-zakladnaya-doska.jpg Закладная табличка бронекатера «БК-02»
    12. Web site: Закладено чотири броньовані артилерійські катери для Військово-Морських Сил . 8 April 2016 . Ukrainian Military Pages . 8 April 2016.
    13. Web site: Бронекатери "Вишгород", "Кременчук", "Лубни" та "Нікополь" включено до корабельного складу ВМС . 2018-07-01 . www.ukrmilitary.com . . 2018-07-01.
    14. Web site: Відбувся урочистий спуск на воду чергового бронекатеру проекту 58155 . 2017-06-29 . . 2017-06-29.
    15. Web site: Ще один новозбудований катер для Військово-Морських Сил типу "Гюрза-М" спущено на воду . 2017-06-29 . . 2017-06-29.
    16. Web site: In the seaport of Mariupol, the Ukrainian artillery boat BK-05 "Lubny" was raised from the bottom.. 15 May 2022.
    17. Web site: A warship was destroyed in the port of Mariupol. 15 May 2022.
    18. https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1662137771308486658
    19. Web site: New Army: Four Artillery Boats "Gyurza-M" (video) were accepted into the Naval Forces of Ukraine . dead . Hristoforov . Vladislav . 1 July 2018 . uprom . https://web.archive.org/web/20181004230039/http://uprom.info/en/news/vpk/nova-armiya-do-skladu-viyskovo-morskih-sil-ukrayini-priynyali-chotiri-artillery-kateri-gyurza-m-video/ . 4 October 2018 . 27 November 2018.
    20. Web site: Russian loitering munition Lancet hits Ukrainian Gyurza M class gunboat for first time. navyrecognition.com. 4 November 2022.
    21. Web site: 2 February 2024 . A former artillery boat of the Ukrainian Navy, captured in Berdyansk in 2022, was named after the Russian clipper . 1 March 2024 . vpk.name . Russian.
    22. News: Russia seizes Ukrainian ships near annexed Crimea after firing on them . Andrew . Osborn . Pavel . Polityuk. Reuters. 25 November 2018 . 26 November 2018.
    23. Web site: Russia's 'Don' coast guard ship rams Ukrainian tugboat amid transfer from Odesa to Mariupol (video) . . 25 November 2018. 27 November 2018.
    24. News: Russia returns Ukraine ships 'stripped of toilets'. 2019-11-21. 2019-11-24 . BBC . en-GB.
    25. Web site: Analysis: Russian Armed Forces capture dozen Ukrainian ships in Berdyansk. Navy Recognition. 14 March 2022.
    26. Web site: Russia shows off captured navy boats. Russian state TV has shown what it says are Ukrainian navy boats being disarmed in the captured port of Berdyansk. The fast patrol boats Akkerman and Vyshhorod were abandoned along with a tug called Korets, the defence ministry channel Zvezda reported. Russian forces captured Berdyansk two weeks ago, on the Sea of Azov. It lies between Crimea and the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol.. 14 March 2022. BBC.
    27. Web site: ВМС України втратили у Маріуполі корабель управління "Донбас" та МБАК "Кременчук" . Ukrainian Navy loses Donbas control ship and Kremenchuk MBAK in Mariupol . Ukrainian MOD . uk . 16 April 2022.
    28. Web site: In the seaport of Mariupol, the Ukrainian artillery boat BK-05 "Lubny" was raised from the bottom . NY dolls . 15 May 2022.
    29. Web site: У Маріуполі показали пошкоджений МБАК "Лубни" . uk. 16 May 2022 . Mil.
    30. Web site: Russian loitering munition Lancet hits Ukrainian Gyurza M class gunboat for first time . navyrecognition.com. 4 November 2022.
    31. Web site: 2023-12-28 . Door deze schepen blijft de lucht boven Kyiv (vooralsnog) vrij van drones . 2024-01-05 . nos.nl . nl.

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