Russia fielded Project 11356R frigates in the Black Sea Fleet during the war. Open-source reporting identifies Admiral Essen as a Kalibr strike platform used against Ukrainian targets and cites Russia's claim that the same frigate used Shtil-1 missiles against a Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 off Crimea.
Role detailsProject 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate
- Project 11356R
- Project 11356
- Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate
- Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates
- Project 11356 patrol ship
- Burevestnik-class frigate
- Project 11356R Burevestnik
Project 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.
Role in Conflicts
Russian Project 11356R frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Mediterranean during Russian operations in Syria in 2016-2017.
Role detailsProfile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Russia
- Built by
- Yantar Shipyard
- Type
- Guided-missile frigate
- Service note
- 2010s-present Russian Black Sea Fleet frigate class
- Designer
- Severnoye Design Bureau
- Designed
- 2006 Russian Navy development contract based on the Indian Project 11356 prototype
- Produced
- 2010-2017 for Russian Navy deliveries; additional ex-Russian hulls completed for India in 2024-2025
- Number built
- 3 delivered to the Russian Navy; 2 unfinished Russian hulls later completed for India as INS Tushil and INS Tamal
Specifications
- Type
- Guided missile frigate
- Displacement
- 3,620 tons normal; about 4,035 tons full load
- Length
- 124.8 m
- Beam
- 15.2 m
- Draught
- 4.2 m
- Speed
- About 30 knots
- Range
- 4,850 nautical miles in Severnoye export-project data
- Endurance
- 30 days
- Crew
- About 190-220 in open references
- Strike armament
- Eight-cell vertical launcher for Kalibr strike missiles and anti-ship missiles
- Air defense
- Shtil-1 surface-to-air missile system plus close-in AK-630M gun mounts
- Gun armament
- 100 mm A-190-family automatic gun mount
- ASW armament
- Torpedo tubes, antisubmarine rocket launcher, and helicopter hangar for Ka-27/Ka-28 or Ka-31-family aircraft
- Propulsion
- Four gas-turbine main propulsion plant with about 41,000 kW listed for the Project 11356 export configuration
Variants
The Russian Navy received three Project 11356R ships. Later unfinished Russian hulls moved into India's upgraded Project 1135.6/Tushil-class path rather than joining the Black Sea Fleet.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Grigorovich | Lead Russian Navy frigate | Yantar built the lead Project 11356R ship for the Russian Navy; RussianShips.info lists her as laid down in 2010, launched in 2014, and accepted in March 2016. Sources: Shipyard History | Shipyard Yantar, Project 11356 - RussianShips.info |
| Admiral Essen | Second Russian Navy frigate | Severnoye lists Admiral Essen among the two ships delivered to the Black Sea Fleet in 2016, and direct reporting ties the ship to Syria and Ukraine operations. Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau, Russian submarine, frigates hit ISIS from Mediterranean, again, Ukrainian strike hits Russian frigate Admiral Essen used for Kalibr launches, OSINT analysts say |
| Admiral Makarov | Third Russian Navy frigate | Severnoye says Admiral Makarov was delivered to the Russian Navy in December 2017, completing the three-ship Russian Navy series. Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau, Shipyard History | Shipyard Yantar |
| INS Tushil | Former Russian hull completed for India | India's Ministry of Defence says INS Tushil was commissioned at Yantar on 9 December 2024 as the first of two upgraded additional follow-on Project 1135.6 ships. Sources: INS Tushil Commissioned Into Indian Navy, India Commissions 7th Project 11356 Frigate - INS Tushil |
| INS Tamal | Second former Russian hull completed for India | India's Ministry of Defence says INS Tamal was commissioned at Yantar on 1 July 2025 as the second additional follow-on Tushil-class ship. |
Strike Missiles
The class's vertical launcher gives the frigates a land-attack and anti-ship strike role centered on the Kalibr family.
| Launched item | Item type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
![]() | Sea-launched cruise missile family | Severnoye describes Kalibr strike missiles as the core of the frigate's strike armament, while USNI and CSIS document Admiral Grigorovich firing Kalibr missiles during the November 2016 Syria operation. Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau, Ship-launched Russian Cruise Missile Strike Part of New Aleppo Offensive, Russia fires cruise missiles as part of offensive in Syria |
Air-Defense Missiles
The naval Shtil-1 system links the frigate class to the 9M317 missile family used for medium-range air defense.
| Launched item | Item type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
![]() | Shtil-1 surface-to-air missile family | Severnoye identifies Shtil-1 as part of the Project 11356 armament fit, and the 9M317 family record documents the naval Shtil-1 branch and Admiral Grigorovich launch context. Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau, 9M317 - Deagel |
Timeline
Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate Key Events
Russian Navy project contract
Severnoye says it concluded a contract with Yantar to develop Project 11356 frigates for the Russian Navy based on the Indian prototype.
Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau
First two Black Sea Fleet deliveries
Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen were delivered to the Russian Black Sea Fleet in 2016.
Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau
Mediterranean Kalibr strike
USNI and CSIS reported that Admiral Grigorovich launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Mediterranean into Syria during the Russian-Syrian offensive around Aleppo, Idlib, and Homs.
Sources: Ship-launched Russian Cruise Missile Strike Part of New Aleppo Offensive, Russia fires cruise missiles as part of offensive in Syria
Two class members fire on Syria
Naval Today reported Russian Ministry of Defence statements that Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen fired Kalibr missiles from the Mediterranean at Islamic State positions in Syria.
Sources: Russian submarine, frigates hit ISIS from Mediterranean, again
Third Russian frigate delivered
Severnoye says Admiral Makarov was delivered to the Russian Navy in December 2017.
Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau
Shtil-1 air-defense claim off Crimea
Naval Today reported Russia's claim that Admiral Essen used its Shtil anti-aircraft missile system to destroy a Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 off Crimea.
Sources: Russia claims its frigate destroyed Ukrainian Bayraktar drone off Crimean coast - video
INS Tushil commissioned
India commissioned INS Tushil at Yantar as an upgraded follow-on Project 1135.6 frigate developed from a former Russian Project 11356R hull.
Sources: INS Tushil Commissioned Into Indian Navy, India Commissions 7th Project 11356 Frigate - INS Tushil
INS Tamal commissioned
India commissioned INS Tamal at Yantar as the second additional follow-on Tushil-class Project 1135.6 frigate.
Sources: INS Tamal Commissioned Into Indian Navy
Admiral Essen damage reported
Ukrainska Pravda reported OSINT analysis that a Ukrainian drone attack hit Admiral Essen in Novorossiysk, describing the ship as a Project 11356R frigate used for Kalibr attacks on Ukraine.
Sources: Ukrainian strike hits Russian frigate Admiral Essen used for Kalibr launches, OSINT analysts say
Russian And Export Hull Path
The Russian Navy series remained a three-ship Black Sea Fleet group, while later incomplete hulls were redirected into India's upgraded Project 1135.6/Tushil-class program after the post-2014 propulsion-supply break.
| Hull | Service path | Source-backed context |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Grigorovich | Russian Navy | Lead ship built by Yantar and accepted in 2016; documented Kalibr launch platform in Syria. |
| Admiral Essen | Russian Navy | Black Sea Fleet ship delivered in 2016; documented in Syria missile strikes and reported as a Ukraine-war Kalibr platform. |
| Admiral Makarov | Russian Navy | Third ship delivered to the Russian Navy in December 2017. |
| INS Tushil | Indian Navy | Commissioned at Yantar on 9 December 2024 as the first upgraded additional follow-on Project 1135.6 ship. |
| INS Tamal | Indian Navy | Commissioned at Yantar on 1 July 2025 as the second additional follow-on Tushil-class ship. |
Sources: Project 11356 Patrol Ship | Severnoye Design Bureau; Shipyard History | Shipyard Yantar; Project 11356 - RussianShips.info; INS Tushil Commissioned Into Indian Navy; INS Tamal Commissioned Into Indian Navy; India Commissions 7th Project 11356 Frigate - INS Tushil.
Media
Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate Videos
Project 11356R / Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate Images
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