Naval Systems

Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives

Also known as
  • Burevestnik class
  • Krivak class
  • Krivak-class frigate
  • Project 1135
  • Project 1135 Burevestnik
  • Project 1135 Burevestnik frigate
  • Krivak I
  • Krivak II
  • Krivak III
  • Krivak IV
  • Project 1135.6
  • Project 1135M
  • Project 1135.1 Nerey
  • Project 11351 Nerey
  • Project 11356
  • Project 1135.6 Talwar
  • Talwar class
  • Teg class
  • Tushil class
  • Triput class
  • INS Tushil
  • INS Tamal
  • Tavasya
  • Project 11356R Admiral Grigorovich
  • Hetman Sahaidachny

Project 1135 Burevestnik, known to NATO as the Krivak class, is a Soviet anti-submarine frigate family developed by the Northern Design Bureau as a smaller ocean-going successor to the Riga class. The family combined gas-turbine propulsion, URK-5/Rastrub anti-submarine missiles, Osa-M/Osa-MA point defense, guns, torpedoes, and RBU launchers, then branched into border-guard, Indian export, and Russian guided-missile derivatives. Its 2014 Russia-Ukraine War record centers on Ukraine's Krivak III-derived Hetman Sahaidachny, which was scuttled at Mykolaiv in 2022 to avoid capture.

Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives, Anti-submarine frigate family, Naval Systems
Image source: Project 1135 Ladny 2012 G1.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Anti-submarine frigate family
Service note
1970-present
Designer
Northern Design Bureau
Designed
1964-1966
Produced
1968-1990 for original Project 1135-family branches; later Project 11356 derivative construction began in 1999
Number built
40 completed under original Soviet programs; Project 11356 derivative totals vary by source and build stage
Developed from
Riga-class frigate

Specifications

Displacement
3,420-3,900 tons full load, depending on variant
Length
123.1-126 m
Beam
14.1-14.2 m
Speed
30-32 knots
Crew
181-200
Propulsion
COGAG with two cruise and two boost gas turbines
Armament
SS-N-14 or Rastrub ASW missiles, Osa-MA SAMs, 76 mm or 100 mm guns, RBU-6000 launchers, and torpedo tubes
Range
About 4,995 km at 20 knots
Aviation fit
Project 11351/Nerey replaced the original missile-box layout with helicopter facilities for border-guard patrol service
Family Branches

The family is easiest to read as a common hull and propulsion line that was repeatedly re-armed for fleet ASW, border patrol, and later guided-missile missions.

BranchCommon labelSource-backed distinction
Project 1135Krivak IBaseline fleet ASW frigate with a forward URK-5/SS-N-14 missile box, Osa-MA point defense, torpedo tubes, RBU-6000 launchers, and twin 76 mm guns.
Project 1135MKrivak IIGun and sonar update centered on single 100 mm gun mounts while retaining the ASW escort role.
Project 11351 / 1135.1Krivak III / NereyBorder-guard patrol derivative with a different forward weapons fit and helicopter facilities; Hetman Sahaidachny came from this line.
Project 11352/11353Krivak IVModernization path that added Kh-35/SS-N-25 anti-ship missiles and updated sensors to selected hulls.
Project 11356TalwarIndian Navy export derivative that extended the Krivak III-derived design into a modern frigate branch.
Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate, Guided-missile frigate, Naval SystemsProject 11356RAdmiral Grigorovich classRussian guided-missile branch based on the Indian prototype, with Severnoye identifying Kalibr strike missiles and Shtil-1 air defense in the design.

Source labels used here: Krivak Class - Project 1135; Krivak class frigates (1970); Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau.

Variants

Project 1135 moved from the original Soviet anti-submarine frigate into gun, border-guard, modernization, Indian export, and Russian guided-missile branches.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Krivak I baselineProject 1135 ASW frigate

The baseline branch carried the forward URK-5/SS-N-14 missile box, Osa-MA point defense, 76 mm guns, torpedo tubes, and RBU-6000 launchers.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, Krivak class frigates (1970)

Project 1135M Burevestnik MKrivak II gun and sonar update

Project 1135M kept the ASW-frigate layout but replaced the twin 76 mm gun fit with single 100 mm guns and used revised sonar arrangements.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, Krivak class frigates (1970)

Project 11351 NereyKrivak III border-guard derivative

The Nerey branch was built for Soviet border forces and traded the original missile-box layout for a patrol-focused fit with aviation facilities; Ukraine's Hetman Sahaidachny came from this branch.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, Krivak class frigates (1970), Ukraine flagship Hetman Sahaidachny sunk to avoid capture

Project 11352/11353Krivak IV modernization

The Krivak IV modernization refitted selected Project 1135 ships with updated sensors and Kh-35/SS-N-25 anti-ship missiles.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, Krivak class frigates (1970)

Project 11356 Talwar / Teg / Tushil / TriputIndian Navy Project 1135.6 export and follow-on derivatives

Project 1135.6 extended the Krivak-derived export line into Indian Navy frigates built at Baltic Shipyard and Yantar, followed by Indian-built Triput-class follow-on ships at Goa Shipyard Limited.

Sources: Krivak-class (Project 1135 Burevestnik): Frigate Specs & History, Krivak class frigates (1970), Project 1135 Burevestnik - GlobalSecurity.org, Project 1135 Ship List - GlobalSecurity.org, Talwar Class / Project 11356, Yantar military-technical cooperation, Indian Navy set to commission the latest stealth frigate Tamal in Russia, Second Frigate of Project 1135.6 built by GSL launched

Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate, Guided-missile frigate, Naval SystemsProject 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigateRussian Black Sea Fleet guided-missile derivative

Severnoye describes Project 11356 for the Russian Navy as based on the Indian prototype and fitted with Kalibr/Shtil-1-era guided-missile armament.

Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau

Shipborne Point Defense

Baseline Project 1135 branches carried naval Osa-M/Osa-MA point-defense missile systems as part of their close air-defense fit.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
9M33 Osa, Command-guided short-range surface-to-air missile family, Munitions9M33 OsaNaval surface-to-air missile family

GlobalSecurity lists Osa-MA/SA-N-4 missiles in Project 1135 armament, and WeaponSystems.net identifies the 9M33M missile as the naval Osa-M missile used by the SA-N-4 system.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, 9M33 Osa

Close-In Anti-Submarine Weapons

Project 1135 ships carried RBU anti-submarine rocket launchers as part of the close-range undersea-defense fit that complemented missiles and torpedoes.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
RBU-6000 Smerch-2 anti-submarine rocket launcher, Shipboard anti-submarine rocket launcher, Naval SystemsRBU-6000 Smerch-2 anti-submarine rocket launcherShipboard anti-submarine rocket launcher

GlobalSecurity lists RBU-6000 launchers in Project 1135 armament, matching the family focus on anti-submarine escort and patrol missions.

Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135

Timeline

Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives Key Events

  1. Northern Design Bureau develops Project 1135

    Naval Encyclopedia places Project 1135 development at the Northern Design Bureau in 1964-1966 as a reduced-displacement ocean-going ASW escort.

    Sources: Krivak class frigates (1970)

  2. Original production program begins

    GlobalMilitary and the class references place original-series production in the late 1960s, with construction divided among Soviet yards.

    Sources: Krivak-class (Project 1135 Burevestnik): Frigate Specs & History, Krivak class frigates (1970)

  3. First Project 1135 ship enters service

    The first Project 1135 ship, Bditelnyy, entered service in 1970, establishing the baseline Krivak I branch.

    Sources: Krivak class frigates (1970)

  4. Nerey border-guard branch follows

    The Project 11351/Nerey branch moved the family into a border-guard patrol layout with different aviation and gun arrangements.

    Sources: Krivak Class - Project 1135, Krivak class frigates (1970)

  5. Talwar export derivative program

    Later Project 1135.6/Talwar work adapted the family for Indian Navy frigates delivered across the 2000s and early 2010s.

    Sources: Krivak-class (Project 1135 Burevestnik): Frigate Specs & History, Krivak class frigates (1970)

  6. Russian Project 11356R branch ordered

    Severnoye says the Russian Navy Project 11356 frigates were developed from the Indian prototype, with later ships delivered to the Black Sea Fleet.

    Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau

  7. Hetman Sahaidachny scuttled at Mykolaiv

    Ukrainian officials said the frigate was sunk while under repair so Russian forces could not capture or use it.

    Sources: Ukraine flagship Hetman Sahaidachny sunk to avoid capture, The Ukrainian Navy's Flagship Appears To Have Been Scuttled

Media

Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives Images

Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives, Anti-submarine frigate family, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Krivak-class frigate profile 1987.png
Project 1135 Burevestnik / Krivak-class frigate and derivatives, Anti-submarine frigate family, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Hetman Sahaidachny 2012 G2.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Project 1134B Berkut-B / Kara-class cruiser, Guided-missile anti-submarine cruiser, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 1134B Berkut-B / Kara-class cruiserGuided-missile anti-submarine cruiserProject 1134B Berkut-B, known to NATO as the Kara class, was a Soviet gas-turbine large anti-submarine ship family built at Shipyard 445 in Nikolayev. The seven-ship series paired Metel stand-off ASW missiles, Shtorm and Osa naval surface-to-air systems, rocket depth-charge launchers, torpedoes, sonar, and a Ka-25 helicopter facility; its last conflict-linked appearance was the decommissioned Ochakov being scuttled by Russian forces as a blockship in Donuzlav during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate, Guided-missile frigate, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigateGuided-missile frigateProject 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates are Russian guided-missile frigates built by Yantar Shipyard from Severnoye Design Bureau's Project 11356 design line. Three ships entered Russian Navy service in 2016-2017 for Black Sea Fleet use, combining Kalibr land-attack capability, Shtil-1 air defense, a helicopter hangar, and reduced-signature hull features; later unfinished Russian hulls were redirected into India's upgraded Project 1135.6/Tushil-class path.
Project 20380 / Steregushchiy-class corvette, Missile corvette, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 20380 / Steregushchiy-class corvetteMissile corvetteProject 20380, known to NATO as the Steregushchiy class, is a Russian Navy guided-missile corvette family designed by Almaz and built by Severnaya Verf and Amur Shipyard for coastal escort, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and amphibious-support missions. The baseline ships combine Uran anti-ship missiles, Redut or Kortik air defense depending on hull, Paket-NK torpedo launchers, and a Ka-27 helicopter facility in a reduced-radar-signature corvette that remained in active Russian service during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
Project 1124 Albatros / Grisha-class anti-submarine corvette, Anti-submarine corvette class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 1124 Albatros / Grisha-class anti-submarine corvetteAnti-submarine corvette classThe Project 1124 Albatros, known to NATO as the Grisha class, is a Soviet anti-submarine corvette family built for coastal ASW patrols, base protection, and convoy escort. The compact ships combined sonar, Osa-M point-defense missiles, torpedo tubes, and RBU-6000 launchers; Ukrainian Grisha-family hulls later became part of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War record through the Crimea naval seizures and the destruction of ex-Ukrainian Ternopil as a Russian Black Sea Fleet target ship in 2023.
Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate, Guided-missile frigate, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigateGuided-missile frigateThe Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate is a Russian multirole guided-missile frigate family designed by Severnoye Design Bureau and built by Severnaya Verf for escort, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range strike. Public sources describe it as Russia's post-Soviet ocean-going surface combatant class built around UKSK vertical launch cells for Kalibr, Oniks, and Tsirkon missiles, with later hulls receiving expanded launcher fits.
Project 205P / Stenka-class patrol boat, Coast guard anti-submarine patrol boat, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 205P / Stenka-class patrol boatCoast guard anti-submarine patrol boatProject 205P is a Soviet coast guard and anti-submarine patrol-boat class known to NATO as the Stenka class. The design reused the Project 205 Osa hull but traded the missile-boat mission for 400 mm torpedo tubes, depth-charge equipment, sonar, and twin 30 mm AK-230 gun mounts. Its Russia-Ukraine War record is best documented as Black Sea patrol and loss/capture evidence: Ukrainian Donbas was reported seized at Mariupol in April 2022, while a Russian Project 205P/Tarantul boat was reported sunk at Sevastopol after late-December 2023 Ukrainian strike activity.
Kiev-class aircraft carrier, Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / VTOL aircraft carrier, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsKiev-class aircraft carrierHeavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / VTOL aircraft carrierThe Kiev class, Soviet Project 1143 Krechyet, was a family of heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers built at the Black Sea Shipyard in Mykolaiv for Soviet naval aviation. The ships combined Yak-38 VTOL aircraft and Kamov helicopters with cruiser-style P-500 Bazalt anti-ship missiles, air-defense weapons, and anti-submarine systems; the revised fourth hull, Baku / Admiral Gorshkov, later became India's INS Vikramaditya after a major STOBAR carrier conversion.
Project 1144 Orlan / Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser, Nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 1144 Orlan / Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiserNuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiserProject 1144 Orlan, better known as the Kirov class, is a Soviet-designed nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser family built around P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles, layered air defense, anti-submarine weapons, and a three-helicopter aviation fit. Built by Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad, the class became one of the largest non-carrier surface combatant families of the Cold War and later appeared in Russian Syrian-war naval task-force operations through Pyotr Velikiy.

Sources

Krivak class frigates (1970)Publisher: Naval Encyclopedia | Note: Supports Project 1135 development history, the anti-submarine design focus, shipyard construction, and the Krivak I/II/III/IV branch structure. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Krivak Class - Project 1135Publisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the class designation, builders, displacement, dimensions, propulsion, speed, crew, armament, and variant-level specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Project 1135 Burevestnik - GlobalSecurity.orgPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the Project 1135 anti-submarine role, Krivak I/II/III branch distinctions, Project 1135.6 Talwar derivative context, and Admiral Grigorovich relationship to the Talwar-class frigates. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Project 1135 Ship List - GlobalSecurity.orgPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports shipyard and branch context for original Project 1135, Project 1135M, Project 11351, Talwar, and Admiral Grigorovich hulls. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Talwar Class / Project 11356Publisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Baltic Shipyard construction of the first Indian Project 11356 batch and Yantar construction of later Indian Navy Project 11356 frigates. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Krivak-class (Project 1135 Burevestnik): Frigate Specs & HistoryPublisher: GlobalMilitary.net | Note: Supports the class overview, successor relationship to the Riga class, original build program, and later derivatives including Talwar and Admiral Grigorovich. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Yantar military-technical cooperationPublisher: Shipyard Yantar | Note: Official Yantar source supporting Project 11356 frigate construction for India, including the 2012-2013 Teg/Tarkash/Trikand transfers and the 2018 Russia-India contract split between Yantar and Goa Shipyard Limited. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design BureauPublisher: Severnoye Design Bureau | Note: Official design-bureau source supporting the Project 11356R derivative relationship to the Indian prototype, Black Sea Fleet deliveries, and Kalibr/Shtil-1 armament context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Indian Navy set to commission the latest stealth frigate Tamal in RussiaPublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India / Ministry of Defence | Note: Official Indian Ministry of Defence source supporting Tamal as the eighth Russian-built Krivak-series frigate for India, the Talwar/Teg/Tushil sequence, Triput-class follow-on context, Yantar construction, and selected ship characteristics. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Second Frigate of Project 1135.6 built by GSL launchedPublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India / Ministry of Defence | Note: Official Indian Ministry of Defence source supporting Goa Shipyard Limited construction of Project 1135.6 follow-on frigates Triput and Tavasya, launch dates, dimensions, displacement, and speed. | Accessed: 2026-07-069M33 OsaPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the 9M33 missile family's naval Osa-M/SA-N-4 relationship used for the shipborne point-defense link. | Accessed: 2026-07-06List of Ukrainian Navy ships would have been destroyed or captured by Russian armed forcesPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use: Hetman Sahaidachny was reported scuttled in Mykolaiv to prevent capture. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Hetman Sahaidachny frigate flooded not to get to enemyPublisher: Interfax-Ukraine | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use: Ukraine's defense minister said the under-repair Hetman Sahaidachny was flooded so it would not fall into Russian hands. | Accessed: 2026-07-06The Ukrainian Navy's Flagship Appears To Have Been ScuttledPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use: the Ukrainian Navy's flagship Hetman Sahaidachny was reported partially sunk in Mykolaiv in March 2022. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Ukraine flagship Hetman Sahaidachny sunk to avoid capturePublisher: Ukrainska Pravda | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use: Ukrainian defense and navy officials said Hetman Sahaidachny was sunk while under repair so Russian forces could not capture or use it. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Project 1135 Ladny 2012 G1.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the lead Project 1135 frigate photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Krivak-class frigate profile 1987.pngPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the Krivak I/II profile diagram. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Hetman Sahaidachny 2012 G2.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the Ukrainian Krivak III derivative image. | Accessed: 2026-07-06