Russian Navy commissions minesweeper Ivan Antonov

The Russian Navy commissioned into service the Project 12700 minesweeper Ivan Antonov on Saturday, January 26.

The vessel is the third of a planned six minesweepers of Project 12700, otherwise known as the Alexandrit-class.

The minesweeper honours Ivan Petrovich Antonov, a famed Russian sniper who fought in World War II.

Ivan Antonov has a length of 61 metres, a width of 10.2 metres, a draught of 2.68 metres, and a speed of 16.5 knots. Armament includes an AK-630 30-millimetre close-in weapon system and Igla surface-to-air missiles.

The vessel will also be able to accommodate a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) type unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau.