Ukrainian reconnaissance ship Simferopol
Ukrainian naval vessel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Simferopol (Ukrainian: Сімферополь) was a medium reconnaissance ship of the Ukrainian Navy that was originally built at the Kuznia na Rybalskomu (previously Leninska Kuznya) shipbuilding plant. The reconnaissance ship, built under the project Laguna, used the hull of the Project 502EM trawler.
Simferopol at launch | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Ukraine | |
| Name | Simferopol |
| Namesake | U543 Simferopol |
| Owner | Ukraine |
| Operator | Ukrainian Navy |
| Ordered | 2017 |
| Builder | Kuznya na Rybalskomu |
| Launched | 23 April 2019 |
| Fate | Sunk after a Russian naval drone strike in the delta of the Danube River on 28 August 2025 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 54.8 m (179 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in) |
| Draught | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Installed power | 1 auxiliary diesel generator 853kWt |
| Speed | 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) |
| Range |
|
| Boats & landing craft carried | At least one rigid lifeboat |
| Crew | 29 |
| Armament | АК-306 artillery system |
Development and design
The Deputy Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine announced the construction of a new ship for the Ukrainian Navy during an interview for one of the Odesa TV channels in March 2017. The Ukrainian shipbuilder PSC Kuznia na Rybalskomu was specified as the lead manufacturer.[1] It was built using an unfinished hull of the Project 502EM trawler.[2][3]
Kuznia na Rybalskomu launched the new medium reconnaissance ship on 23 April 2019.[4]
In October 2019, the ship was loaded into a floating dock and delivered by inland waterways from Kyiv to Odesa.[5][6] Since January 2020, it had been undergoing factory tests in the Black Sea near Odesa.[7]
In December 2020, it was named "Simferopol" - in honor of the training ship U543 Simferopol captured by Russia in 2014. The National Industrial Portal UProm.info stated:
The decision to give the new reconnaissance ship such a name expresses the connection between generations of ships of this class in the Ukrainian Navy, serves to support and symbolize Crimea's affiliation with Ukraine, and is a sign of support for the captain of the Simferopol project 861, who is oppressed by Crimean occupation authorities.[8]
In particular, various antennas were installed during the works, namely the Melchior radio intelligence station and other systems.
Sinking
On 28 August 2025, the Russian defence ministry stated that Simferopol was sunk after a naval drone strike in the delta of the Danube River, with the Ukrainian navy stating that the attack killed two crew members and left several others injured or missing.[9]