Naval Systems

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette

Also known as
  • Project 21631
  • Buyan-M
  • Buyan-M class corvette
  • Buyan-M-class missile corvette
  • Project 21631 Buyan-M

Project 21631 Buyan-M is a Russian river-sea guided-missile corvette class designed by Zelenodolsk Design Bureau and built at Zelenodolsk Plant named after A.M. Gorky. The class combines shallow-draft inland-water mobility with an eight-cell UKSK launcher for Kalibr or Oniks missiles, giving small Caspian, Black Sea, and Baltic combatants documented long-range strike roles in Syria and Ukraine.

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette, Guided-missile corvette, Naval Systems
Image source: Grad Sviyazhsk (2017-06-05) 02.jpg

Role in Conflicts

2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Long-Range Strike
Side
Russia

Russian forces used a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette in the Black Sea to fire an eight-missile Kalibr salvo at Ukraine in March 2022; Ukrainian intelligence later reported a 2025 drone strike on a Buyan-M in the Sea of Azov, a claim reported with Russian non-comment caveats.

Role details
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Displacement
949 tons
Length
75 m
Beam
11 m
Speed
26 knots
Range
2,300 nautical miles at 12 knots
Crew
52 sailors
Armament
100 mm A-190-01 main gun, 2x 30 mm AK-630-M2 CIWS, 2x4 UKSK cells for Kalibr or Oniks cruise missiles, 2x4 Komar surface-to-air missiles, DP-65 anti-saboteur grenade launcher, and 14.5 mm KPV machine guns
Propulsion
CODAD, 2 shafts
Variants

Project 21631 is the missile-armed Buyan-M branch of the wider Buyan program; public sources also describe an export-oriented Project 21632 Tornado design.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Project 21632 TornadoExport-family design

Open references identify Project 21632 Tornado as the export variant associated with the Buyan-M design line.

Sources: Project 21632 - Rosoboronexport

Cruise Missiles

Buyan-M corvettes are built around a compact UKSK launcher that can carry Kalibr-family and Oniks cruise missiles.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
Kalibr, Sea-launched cruise missile family, MunitionsKalibrSea-launched cruise missile family

Naval News describes Project 21631 corvettes as carrying 2x4 UKSK cells for Kalibr or Oniks missiles, making the class a shipborne launch platform for Kalibr strikes.

Sources: Buyan-M-class Corvette ‘Graivoron’ Commissioned with Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Naval News

P-800 Oniks, Supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, MunitionsP-800 OniksSupersonic anti-ship cruise missile

Naval News lists Oniks among the cruise missiles carried in the Buyan-M class's 2x4 UKSK cells.

Sources: Buyan-M-class Corvette ‘Graivoron’ Commissioned with Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Naval News

Timeline

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette Key Events

  1. Caspian Flotilla strike on Syria

    The Washington Institute reported that three Buyan-M corvettes - Grad Sviyazhsk, Uglich, and Veliki Ustyug - were part of the Caspian Flotilla group that fired Kalibr missiles at targets in Syria.

    Sources: Russia's Cruise Missiles Raise the Stakes in the Caspian

  2. Graivoron commissioned

    Graivoron entered the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet, showing the class remained an active Kalibr-bearing platform after the Syrian campaign.

    Sources: Buyan-M-class Corvette ‘Graivoron’ Commissioned with Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Naval News

  3. Black Sea salvo against Ukraine

    Naval News, citing Russian reporting and video, described eight Kalibr missiles fired by a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette from the Black Sea against a Ukrainian arms depot.

    Sources: Russian Buyan-M class Corvette fired Kalibr missiles Against Ukraine - Naval News

  4. Stavropol launched

    Zelenodolsk Shipyard launched Stavropol, the final Buyan-M hull on order for the Russian Navy.

    Sources: Russia launches Final Buyan-M-class Corvette Fitted with Kalibr cruise missiles

  5. Ukraine reports Sea of Azov strike

    Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that its forces struck a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette in the Sea of Azov; Naval News reported the claim and noted that Russia had not commented.

    Sources: Ukraine strikes Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M class corvette with drones - Naval News

Media

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette Images

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette, Guided-missile corvette, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Grad Sviyazhsk (2017-06-05) 01.jpg
Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette, Guided-missile corvette, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Orekhovo-Zuyevo corvette.jpg
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Sources

Buyan-M-class Corvette ‘Graivoron’ Commissioned with Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Naval NewsPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the class's designer, builder, service context, and published technical specifications including displacement, length, beam, speed, range, crew, and armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Russia's Cruise Missiles Raise the Stakes in the CaspianPublisher: The Washington Institute | Note: Supports the 2011 Syrian Civil War row by directly identifying the October 7, 2015 Caspian launch against targets in Syria and the three Buyan-M corvettes in the firing group. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Russia launches Final Buyan-M-class Corvette Fitted with Kalibr cruise missilesPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the final-hull production timeline, Zelenodolsk Shipyard build context, and the class's late-production technical package. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Russian Buyan-M class Corvette fired Kalibr missiles Against Ukraine - Naval NewsPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row by directly reporting a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette firing eight Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea against Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Ukraine strikes Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M class corvette with drones - Naval NewsPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row by reporting Ukraine's claim that it struck a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette in the Sea of Azov and noting that Russia had not commented. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Video: Russian Corvettes Launch Cruise Missiles from Caspian Sea - USNI NewsPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports the 2011 Syrian Civil War row by identifying Russian Ministry of Defense video of Buyan-M corvettes firing Kalibr missiles from the Caspian Sea into Syria. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Russia’s Buyan Naval Corvette Program - USNI ProceedingsPublisher: U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings | Note: Supports Buyan program context, Project 21631 fleet distribution, VLS missile compatibility, and direct conflict use by reporting that Buyan-M ships launched land-attack cruise missiles in Syria and have been active in the war against Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Project 21632 - RosoboronexportPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports Project 21632 Tornado export-variant context and its river-sea mission profile. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Grad Sviyazhsk (2017-06-05) 02.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance and the Commons licensing context for the Russian Ministry of Defence photo of Grad Sviyazhsk. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Grad Sviyazhsk (2017-06-05) 01.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and the Commons licensing context for the Russian Ministry of Defence photo of Grad Sviyazhsk. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orekhovo-Zuyevo corvette.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and the Commons licensing context for the self-published Orekhovo-Zuyevo harbor photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-04