April 27, 2026

Introducing Russia's Newest Minesweeper


Introducing Russia's Newest Minesweeper
Officials at an event honoring the new minesweepers. Saint Petersburg City Administration

The start of construction on Russia’s newest minesweeper, Dmitry Glukhov, has been celebrated in a keel-laying ceremony in St. Petersburg’s Middle Neva Shipyard. Although the Glukhov is far from ship-shape, it is the 16th minesweeping ship of its class, with 20 to 30 more expected by 2050.

On April 24, a plaque commemorating the date and geographic coordinates of the shipyard was placed on the hull. Its was named after sailor Dmitry Glukhov, who served in the Black Sea Fleet in the Second World War and was posthumously awarded the distinction of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1944.

Dmitry Glukhov belongs to a new class of minesweepers designated as Project 12700 Alexandrit. Ships of this class have high-tech capabilities, including an updated search-and-detection system and submersible robots for clearing mines to depths of 980 feet. Additionally, the hull is made of fiberglass, which does not attract magnetic mines.

Nine other Alexandrit-class minesweepers are currently serving in the Russian Navy, while the remaining seven ships are either undergoing trials or construction.

Rear Admiral Mikhail Chekmasov cited an unexpected reason for the large-scale production of minesweepers: unexploded naval mines from World War II can still be found in coastal waters. Russian minesweepers destroyed 12 mines in the Gulf of Finland in 2020. Thus, building more minesweepers could save lives by clearing old, leftover naval mines.

Which waters are the minesweepers most likely to secure? “When the conflicts conclude, and both sides reach peace agreements, it is possible that our forces will be needed in the Black Sea and the Straight of Hormuz,” Chekmasov said, referring to Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and the 2026 Iran War.

​Captain Vasily Dandykin also said he foresees plenty of work ahead for the minesweepers. “The [United] States does not have proper minesweepers, and if they are prepared to clear the Straight of Hormuz, they will need to bring ships from NATO countries.”

​While Russia’s one aircraft carrier may be slated to slip below the waves, the newest class of minesweepers is dredging up old mines and, apparently, nobly lying in wait to clean up after the rest of the world’s messes.

You Might Also Like

Of War and Yachts
  • August 29, 2023

Of War and Yachts

Despite Russia's War on Ukraine and ongoing sanctions, the Russian state spent $32 million on a yacht linked to Vladimir Putin.
Less than Ship Shape
  • April 19, 2022

Less than Ship Shape

The flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been lost; whether to an accidental fire or anti-ship missiles depends on who you ask.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955