Russian cruiser Ochakov

Ochakov was a Kara-class cruiser of the Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet. She was decommissioned in 2011 but remained laid-up in Sevastopol, until on 3 March 2014 she was towed and sunk as a blockship in the channel to Donuzlav lake, in Novoozerne, in western Crimea.[1][2][3] A few months later she was refloated and returned to Inkerman to await scrapping.[4]

Ochakov in 1982
History
Russia
Name: Ochakov
Builder: 61 Communards Shipyard
Laid down: 19 December 1969
Launched: 30 April 1971
Commissioned: 4 November 1973
Decommissioned: 20 August 2011
Status: Laid up
General characteristics
Class and type: Kara-class cruiser
Displacement: 8,900 tons
Length: 173.4 m (568.9 ft)
Beam: 18.5 m (60.7 ft)
Draft: 5.4 m (17.7 ft)
Propulsion:
  • 4 turbine-type generators GTG-12,5A x1250 kW
  • 1 turbine-type generator GTG-6M 600 kW
Speed: 32 knots
Range: 9,000 miles
Complement: 425
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 Kamov Ka-25

History

Ochakov was laid down in the Soviet Union on 25 December 1969, launched on 30 April 1971, and commissioned in the Soviet Black Sea Fleet on 4 November 1973. The ship was constructed in the 61 Kommunar Shipyard at Nikolayev (Mykolaiv) on the Black Sea. She was in service with the Soviet Fleet until 1991, and then joined its successor, the Russian Navy. In 2000, the ship was laid up for modification and repairs. By 2006, all work on the ship had been halted, and, in 2008, the ship was towed from Sevmorzavod.[5]

On 20 August 2011, the naval flag of Ochakov was hauled down and the ship prepared to be sold for scrap.[6][7]

On 6 March 2014, during the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Russian sailors scuttled the hull of Ochakov in Donuzlav Lake at the entrance to Donuzlav Bay in western Crimea as a blockship, in an attempt to prevent Ukrainian Navy ships from gaining access to the Black Sea.[1][2] Trapped in the bay, the Ukrainian squadron based at the Southern Naval Base surrendered without a shot being fired. The Ochakov was refloated several months later, and returned to Inkerman to await scrapping.[4]

References
  1. "Russia sinks ship to block Ukrainian Navy ships". navaltoday. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  2. "Russians Scuttle Another Ship to Block Ukrainian Fleet". IWPR. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  3. Spilman, Rick. "Russia Scuttles Destroyer Ochakov, Blocking Ukrainian Navy Ships in Donuzlav Lake, Western Crimea". The Old Salt Blog. WeaverTheme.com. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  4. Sergei Ishchenko (13 January 2015). "Средиземноморская Цусима: Кризис рвет на части кораблестроительную программу России" (in Russian). Svobodnaya Pressa. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. "Large ASW Destroyer "Ochakov" - Project 1134B / Kara class". Flot.sevastopol.info. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  6. Lohvitsky, Alexei (23 August 2011). "Корабль "Очаков" отправлен на пенсию". Segodnya (in Russian). Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  7. Nuriahmetova, Katerina (20 August 2011). "Корабль "Очаков" Черноморского флота будет продан на металлолом" (in Russian). arms-expo.ru. Retrieved 24 January 2015.

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