MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. The Admiral Makarov Grigorovich-class frigate (Project 11356) may become the flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet, replacing the lost Moskva missle cruiser, a source close to Crimea’s security agencies has told TASS.

"Following the loss of Moskva, one of the three Project 11356 frigates may become the new flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet. So far, Admiral Makarov has been chosen," he said.

TASS was unable to officially confirm the information at the time of the publication.

In October 2021, a defense industry source told TASS on the sidelines of the 9th Sevastopol International Maritime Business Forum (SIMBF) that advanced Project 23900 versatile amphibious assault ship Mitrofan Moskalenko will become the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet after its construction is completed at the Zaliv Shipyard in Crimea’s Kerch. Infrastructure facilities are already being prepared in Sevastopol, he said.

The Project 11356 frigate Admiral Makarov was laid down by the Yantar Shipyard on February 29, 2012 and launched on September 2, 2015. It was delivered to the Russian Navy on December 25, 2017. It is the third ship in a series of Project 11356 frigates built by the Yantar Shipyard for the Defense Ministry. The first two Project 11356 frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen were delivered to the customer in 2016. All the three ships are operational with the Black Sea Fleet.

Project 11356 frigates have the displacement of 4000 tons and the speed of 30 knots. Their cruising capacity is 30 days. Those frigate are armed with 100 mm A-190 artillery gun, antiaircraft and artillery weapons, torpedoes and antisubmarine weapons, as well as precision Kalibr cruise missiles. It can also carry a Ka-27 or Ka-31 helicopter.