According to a TASS source, the helicopter carrier will become the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
SEVASTOPOL, October 8. /TASS/. The newest universal landing ship-helicopter carrier of the project 23900 "Mitrofan Moskalenko" after completion of construction at the Kerch shipyard "Gulf" will become the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, infrastructure is being prepared for its basing in Sevastopol. This was reported to TASS by a source in the naval sphere.
"The corresponding infrastructure in Sevastopol is being prepared for the helicopter carrier Mitrofan Moskalenko, which is being built at the Gulf plant. This process is proceeding according to schedule. Work is underway in the water area of the Sevastopol Bay, where its berth will be located. Everything should be ready for the ship's arrival at the base," he said on the sidelines of the IX International Maritime Business Forum held in Sevastopol.
According to him, after arriving in Sevastopol, the Mitrofan Moskalenko UDC will become the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The interlocutor noted that the ship will take the place that was intended for the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier - Sevastopol.
TASS has no official information on this matter.
The UDC is capable of carrying a grouping of heavy helicopters for various purposes, transporting from several hundred to 1 thousand or more marines. They are equipped with a dock for boats that provide landing, transport armored vehicles. The first two domestic ships of this class - "Ivan Rogov" and "Mitrofan Moskalenko" - were laid at the shipyard "Gulf" on July 20, 2020. Russian helicopter carriers are being built according to the 23900 project developed by Zelenodolsk PKB.
In 2011, Russia signed a contract with France for two Mistral-type UDC, the construction of ships named Sevastopol and Vladivostok began in 2012 and 2013. Vladivostok, in particular, performed several sea trips as part of sea trials, including with Russian sailors on board. Due to the events in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions against Russia, the deal was terminated in the summer of 2015. The ships were sold by the French side to Egypt, where they received the names of the presidents of the Arab Republic.
