The Project 1164 Atlant / Slava-class guided-missile cruiser is a Soviet-designed surface-strike cruiser class built at the 61 Kommunara yard in Mykolaiv. Its large angled anti-ship missile battery, S-300F Fort area air defense, Osa-M point defense, AK-130 gun, and helicopter deck made the class a Russian fleet flagship type, with Moskva documented in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia's Syria operation, and the 2022 phase of the Russia-Ukraine War before its sinking in the Black Sea.
A Slava-class cruiser was among the Russian Black Sea Fleet ships documented in the August 2008 operation off Georgia; reporting on the naval action identifies Moskva with the force that moved rapidly from Sevastopol toward the Abkhaz coast.
RUSI identified Moskva with Russia's naval squadron off Syria in November 2015 and described its S-300F Fort battery as part of the long-range air-defense coverage for Russia's operation.
Role detailsMoskva served as Russia's Black Sea Fleet flagship during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and sank on 14 April 2022 after Ukraine said it hit the cruiser with missiles; Russia said it sank after a fire and towing attempt.
Role detailsThe completed Project 1164 ships became fleet flagships rather than a large production run, while the fourth hull remained incomplete after the Soviet collapse.
| Ship | Original name | Service context | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moskva | Slava | Black Sea Fleet flagship; documented in Georgia, Syria, and Ukraine. | Sank in the Black Sea on 14 April 2022. |
| Marshal Ustinov | Admiral Flota Lobov | Northern Fleet Project 1164 cruiser. | Completed ship remaining in Russian service. |
| Varyag | Chervona Ukraina | Pacific Fleet Project 1164 cruiser. | Completed ship remaining in Russian service. |
| Ukraina | Admiral Flota Lobov | Fourth hull launched before completion. | Unfinished hull at Mykolaiv. |
The class was built around a heavy surface-strike battery and layered ship self-defense rather than land-attack cruise missiles.
| System group | Installed equipment | Role on the cruiser |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-ship missiles | Sixteen P-500 Bazalt or P-1000 Vulkan missiles in angled side launchers. | Primary surface-strike armament against major warships. |
| Area air defense | S-300F Fort battery with sixty-four surface-to-air missiles. | Long-range protection for the ship and nearby force elements. |
| Point defense | Osa-MA missiles and AK-630 close-in guns. | Short-range missile and aircraft defense around the ship. |
| Guns, ASW, aviation | Twin AK-130 gun, torpedo tubes, RBU-6000 launchers, and one Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopter. | Secondary surface fire, anti-submarine defense, and embarked helicopter support. |
MilitaryFactory says Moskva, the lead ship of Project 1164 Atlant, was laid down in 1976 at the 61 Kommunara shipbuilding plant.
Sources: Moskva (Project 1164 Atlant)
MilitaryFactory says Moskva was commissioned into Soviet Navy service on 30 January 1983, bringing the lead Slava-class cruiser into active fleet use.
Sources: Moskva (Project 1164 Atlant)
PONARS Eurasia reported that a total of 13 Russian ships took part in the August 2008 Black Sea Fleet operation off Georgia, including a Slava-class cruiser.
Sources: The Russian Black Sea Fleet After the Georgia War
USNI News reported that Russian surface combatants led by Moskva were in the eastern Mediterranean to provide an air-defense bubble for Russian aircraft operating from Latakia.
Sources: Russian Warships in Eastern Mediterranean to Protect Russian Strike Fighters in Syria
Axios reported that Russia said the Black Sea Fleet flagship sank after damage from a fire and towing attempt, while Ukraine said the cruiser had been hit by missiles.
Sources: Russia says flagship of its Black Sea fleet has sunk
