Wrecked by Ukrainian drone, Polish-built landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak is placed in a dry dock with large hole in its hull

The 112 meter long ship that was severely damaged by a Ukrainian drone attack on 4th of August is today placed in a dry dock in the Russian naval base of Novorossiisk.

It has a large hole in its hull, photos shared on social media show. It is unclear if the ship can be repaired.

The unmanned Ukrainian motor boat loaded with 450 kg of explosives hit the Olenegorsky Gornyak midship. It quickly started to list and appeared in danger of sinking.

It was towed to a pier in Novorossiisk where it was stabilised by a support ship, as well as a crane ship. Shortly later, it was moved to the dry dock where the damage is being assessed.

The 43 year old ship that was built in Gdansk, Poland, plays a key role in Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine. Recently, it was engaged in transporting military equipment, as well as civilian vehicles, from the Russian mainland to the occupied Crimea.

It arrived to the Black Sea together with two more landing ships from the Northern Fleet shortly before Russian forces launched their full-scale attack on Ukraine.

Most likely, the Olenegorsky Gornyak, as well as the Georgiy Pobedonosets and Pyotr Morgunov, carried soldiers and landing vehicles from the Northern Fleet’s 61st Naval Infantry Brigade, the forces based in Sputnik not far from the border to Norway.

The ship can carry up to 500 tons of equipment and vehicles, as well as 225 paratroopers.

In 2007, it was titled the best best landing vessel in the Northern Fleet. In the subsequent years, it took part in several Arctic expeditions, including a voyage to the remote New Siberian Islands.

In 2014, it accompanied aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov to the Mediterranean as part of Russia’s military offensive in Syria.

In 2019, the ship returned to service in the Northern Fleet following a major technical upgrade in the 33rd Shipyard in Baltiisk.