Russian Ship Sinking: Spy Ship Yantar Diving on Wreck

This location refers the area where on December 24 ^th, the Russian freight vessel MV Ursa Major sank after an alleged explosion in her engine room that may have happened on December 23 ^rd around 12:30 neighborhood time.

Fourteen of the sixteen staff participants were saved by the Spanish Shore Guard, leaving 2 seafarers missing out on when the ship sank. The existence of the research study vessel Yantar at the wreck website of the MV Ursa Major is questioning on the Russian objectives with the wreck website.

The Yantar is a Job 22010 unique objective knowledge collection vessel that remains in solution with Russia’s Ministry of Protection Key Directorate of Deep Water Research Study (GUGI). The vessel is most understood for its oceanographic security procedures and is thought of finding and mapping crucial Western and NATO undersea framework in the Baltic and North Seas. The vessel entered the Mediterranean on November 25^th using the Strait of Gibraltar.

It after that continued to perform a port browse through at Algiers, Algeria, more than likely resupplying itself prior to beginning its procedures in the Mediterranean. This treatment prevails for Russian armed forces vessels showing up in the Mediterranean without an accompanying supply ship to supply them of gas, water and food.

The Yantar was last observed back at Algiers in between January 11 ^th up until 14 ^th James Droxford, a previous Navy and Knowledge Company police officer reports on his blog that throughout this duration the Russian Back Admiral Konovalov was photographed at a function along with the Algerian Navy Brigadier-General that supervises of the 1 ^st Armed forces Area based at Algiers.

Back Admiral Konovalov is understood to be the leader of the 29 ^th Unique Objective Submarine Brigade, a system that runs unique completely submersible craft for GUGI. The existence of such a high ranking armed forces participant aboard of the Yantar is questioning on what specifically the vessel is attempting to explore at the wreck website of the MV Ursa Major Whatever the factor is for Yantar to run over the MV Ursa Major’s wreck, the concern seems vital sufficient to have Back Admiral Konovalov, exist aboard of the Yantar to look after the procedures. The existence of such a high ranking police officer recommend that Yantar’s procedures are most likely purchased high up in Russia’s political choice making procedures.

It must be kept in mind that Yantar operates specialized manned and unmanned underwater vehicles utilized for extremely details goals under water. Amongst these submersibles are 2 three-man submersibles, called Rus and Konsal, with the ability of diving to 6.000 meters deep.

The vessel is typically thought of diving to undersea wires for reconnaissance and feasible sabotage goals however additionally has a track background exploring armed forces wrecks.

Yantar was utilized throughout 2017 to explore the wreckages of a MiG-29K and Su-33 airplane that collapsed too far from Russia’s attack aircraft carrier RFS Admiral Kuznetsov when it was running in the Levant Sea, performing airstrikes in support of the Syrian routine of Al-Assad. Yantar was more than likely utilized to damage delicate armed forces tools onboard these airplane prior to they would certainly be examined by NATO pressures. In November of the exact same year, the Yantar was released to help in the search of the sunken Argentinian submarine ARA San Juan

The Russian freight vessel MV Ursa Major was a recognized tool jogger that regularly carried armed forces devices and ammo in between Russia and Syria. Nevertheless, throughout her last journey, the vessel was heading from Saint Petersburg in the direction of Vladivostok using the Suez Canal. The vessel was transferring 2 45-ton hatches meant to be mounted on Russia’s Task 10510 nuclear-powered icebreaker Rossiya which is unfinished at the Zvezda shipyard in Bolshoy Kamen near Vladivostok. Likewise existing on the deck of the MV Ursa Major were two large cranes meant for usage in the port of Vladivostok These cranes became part of Russia’s recurring advancement of port centers along the Northern Sea Path.

The vessel endured a surge in its engine space on December 23 ^rd and sank the following day on December 24 ^th Russia preserves that the surges in the engine space was the outcome of a targeted terrorist attack with staff participants defining 3 succeeding surges on the starboard side of the vessel.

Right now there is no proof supporting the Russian cases. The sinking of the MV Ursa Major occurred within where a number of older Russian freight vessels were experiencing technological and mechanical break downs. Before the MV Ursa Major, 2 older oil vessels sank in the Kerch Strait of the Black Sea on December 16 ^th One more Russian private freight vessel, MV Sparta, that was taking a trip along with MV Ursa Major, developed problems with her engines while the vessel was near Brest, France on December 17 ^th

The reason that the Yantar got to the wreck website of the MV Ursa Major is unidentified however a number of choices are readily available. Yantar might be performing a comprehensive examination of the wreck in order to figure out the source of the surges in the engine space. It can additionally help in the devastation of delicate products as MV Ursa Major is understood to have actually smuggled tools in the past and feasible proof may still get on board of the vessel.

One more concept is that Yantar is sent off attempting to recoup the 45-ton hatches meant for the icebreaker Rossiya Hefty steel benefit the building and construction of the icebreaker was initially farmed out to a company in Ukraine. Nevertheless, as an outcome of Russia’s intrusion of Ukraine, the business’s centers were reported harmed and the hefty metalwork was re-contracted to a Russian company. With Russia’s economic situation currently under stress as an outcome of Western assents and a boost need on armed forces costs, recouping these hatches may feasible lead to preventing extra rework, expense overruns and hold-ups on the building and construction of the icebreaker Rossiya

Update 17 January 2025:

Yantar was discovered Westbound off Europa Factor (Gibraltar) going to the Atlantic after having actually invested 2 days over the wreckage of MV Ursa Major

Frederik Van Lokeren is a previous Navy Lieutenant, having actually offered for 7 years in the Belgian Navy where he was learnt logistics and maritime knowledge. After that he’s been energetic as a freelance maritime expert, consistently discussing marine advancements on a tactical and functional degree. His major location of know-how is the Russian Navy of which he maintains track on his personal blog Russian Navy – News and Analysis though he additionally tracks European navies and maritime advancements in the Indo-Pacific Area.

The article Russian Ship Sinking: Spy Ship Yantar Diving on Wreck showed up initially on Naval News.