Russian corvette Samum explained

Samum (former MRK-17) is a in the Soviet Navy and later the Russian Navy. In Soviet and later Russian classification, it is considered a "small missile ship" (Russian: малый ракетный корабль, МРК). Like the rest of the class, it is a surface effect ship armed with anti-ship missiles.

Construction and career

MRK-17 was laid down in September 1991 and launched on 12 October 1992 at the A.M. Gorky Shipyard, Zelenodolsk and commissioned into the Baltic Fleet on 26 February 2000.^[1]

On 19 March 1992, the vessel was renamed Samum, after the Russian word for the simoom desert wind.

On 25 July 2002, Samum was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.

On 14 September 2023, while stationed in Sevastopol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ship was the target of a Sea Baby sea drone attack by Ukraine.^[2] According to Ukrainian intelligence sources, afterwards the ship was towed away for "extensive damage" on one side. The Russian defense ministry claimed however that the attack was repelled.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Pennant numbers

Date	Pennant number^[6]
1989	609
1990	616

Notes and References

1. Web site: Air Cushion Missile Ship - Project 1239. 2021-09-21. russianships.info.
2. Web site: Ukrainian SeaBaby drone hits Russian Samum missile warship in Black Sea. September 15, 2023. Ukrainska Pravda.
3. News: 2023-09-15 . Ukraine sea drone damages small Russian missile ship, Kyiv source says . en . Reuters . 2023-09-16.
4. Web site: 2023-09-15 . Ukrainian marine drone allegedly hit Russian missile carrier “Samum” near Sevastopol . 2023-09-16 . Euromaidan Press . en-US.
5. Web site: Морський дрон СБУ підбив російський ракетний корабель Самум — джерела NV . 2023-09-16 . nv.ua . uk.
6. Web site: Small Missile Ships - Project 1234. 2021-09-20. russianships.info.