On Thursday 24th March a Russian Navy Project 1171 Tapir Class landing ship (NATO reporting name as Alligator) RFS ORSK BDK 148 was destroyed with 2 other naval vessels damaged in the occupied Ukrainian port city of Berdiansk by the Ukrainian Military.
24 hours before this was the scene while she was discharging military equipment including BTR-82A wheeled armoured vehicles
RFS ORSK was launched and commissioned in 1968 as NIKOLAY OBEKOV BDK 69. She served a total of 11 deployments in both Indian and Atlantic oceans and the Mediterranean. In 2018 the vessel was seen transporting Russian equipment to Syria.
She was destroyed by an Ukrainian Forces barrage of Tochka-U short range ballistic missile with explosions, fire reportedly spread to other vessels as well as an ammunition depot and a fuel terminal in the port. Footage from the scene appeared to show two ships (Ropucha Class Landing Ships RFS CAESAR KUNIKOV BDK-64 and RFS NOVOCHERKASSK BDK 46) sailing at speed from the port.
Satellite image taken of Maxar shows almost half of RFS ORSK that was targeted by the Ukrainian Military in Berdyansk port is under water now. She is heavily damaged and is not repairable.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Tuesday 29th March, 2022
