Second new minesweeper arrives at Northern Fleet base
“The deployment of such a modern vessel will significantly enhance the Northern Fleet’s capabilities in ensuring security in the nearby maritime zone,” said Vice Admiral Oleg Golubev as he greeted the ship and its crew at the naval base in Polyarny.
The ship, which carries the same name as its home base—Polyarny—is the second vessel of the Aleksandrit-class (Project 12700) deployed in the Northern Fleet. The first ship, the Afanasii Ivannikov, arrived in Polyarny in August 2025.
Another four minesweepers of the same class are currently under construction for the Northern Fleet at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in the Leningrad region. The first of these, the Dmitry Lysov, is due to be ready for handover to the fleet in late 2026 or early 2027.
According to the Russian Navy, the new minesweepers are unique due to their monolithic glass-fibre hulls, built using vacuum infusion. The ships will help the Navy combat sea mines using various minesweeping gear, as well as remotely operated and autonomous underwater tools, Navy representatives said.
The Aleksandrit-class ships have a deadweight of 800 tonnes, a length of 61 metres, and a crew of 41.
“Science has taken a major step forward, and the Project 12700 minesweeper is a vessel that meets the modern requirements and needs of the fleet. Its probability of detecting various mine-like objects is practically 100%,” emphasised Captain Vitaly Kabanov of the Polyarny.
Like other Russian naval vessels, the Polyarny will be a target for Ukrainian drones and missiles.
In October 2024, Ukrainian special forces successfully attacked the Aleksandr Obukhov, an Aleksandrit-class ship based in Baltiisk, Kaliningrad.
According to the Ukrainians, the ship’s engine was disabled in the attack.
"The Obukhov choked," the Ukrainian military intelligence service reported on Telegram. The damage to the ship was substantial, the Ukrainians claimed.
