Direct proof of use
Russian Project 1176 Akula/Ondatra landing craft were documented in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through the November 2023 Vuzka Bay strike in occupied Crimea. Ukraine's Defence Intelligence reported on 2023-11-10 that additional reconnaissance showed two Russian small amphibious vessels had sunk after a surface-drone attack: one older Project 1176 Akula craft and one Project 11770 Serna craft.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence later summarized the same Vuzka Bay operation as a direct USV strike on one Project 1176 Akula-class and one Project 11770 Serna-class landing craft at a pier near Chornomorske. Oryx also lists Project 1176 losses in the war record: a Russian Ondatra-class landing craft as damaged and the Ukrainian Project 1176 landing boat Svatove as damaged.
Sources: Ukraine DIU Vuzka Bay sinking, Ukraine MoD Black Sea Fleet losses, Oryx Naval Losses
Timeline
The public loss record includes a Ukrainian Project 1176 boat before the Vuzka Bay sinking: Oryx lists the Project 1176 landing boat Svatove under Ukrainian naval losses as damaged. The Oryx entry supports the presence and damage of a Ukrainian Project 1176 craft in the conflict, but it does not by itself describe a specific mission or incident narrative for Svatove.
On 2023-11-10, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence said one Russian Project 1176 Akula craft and one Project 11770 Serna craft sank after a surface-drone attack in the area of Vuzka Bay, temporarily occupied Crimea. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence later described the strike as a nighttime operation in which USVs breached barriers and hit the craft at the pier.
Sources: Oryx Naval Losses, Ukraine DIU Vuzka Bay sinking, Ukraine MoD Black Sea Fleet losses
Narrative
The documented role of the Project 1176 in this conflict is maritime transport rather than a stand-alone strike function. KCHF describes the class as a shallow-draft landing craft with an open dry cargo hold and bow ramp, able to carry one T-72 tank, two GAZ-66 trucks, 20 troops, or 50 tons of cargo. That profile fits the conflict reporting, where Russian small landing craft appear as coastal logistics and reinforcement platforms around occupied Crimea and the Black Sea littoral.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence wrote that the Project 1176 Akula and Project 11770 Serna craft hit at Vuzka Bay were carrying crew and armored vehicles, including BTR-82s, and characterized their loss as a degradation of Russian mobile logistics. Army Recognition likewise reported that the struck Ondatra and Serna craft were loaded with armored equipment and that Russian Black Sea Fleet small landing craft had been used for transporting troops and military equipment during the occupation of Snake Island.
The Ukrainian-side evidence is narrower. Oryx's visually documented naval-loss list identifies Svatove as a Ukrainian Project 1176 landing boat damaged during the invasion period, supporting Ukrainian possession and conflict loss of the type but not a detailed account of how the boat was employed.
Sources: KCHF D-106 Project 1176, Ukraine MoD Black Sea Fleet losses, Army Recognition Crimea landing craft strike, Oryx Naval Losses
