Russian Navy Reverts To Dazzle Camouflage To Hide From Drones
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In an awkward twist for those of us who has spent recent years explaining to the internet that Russia painting the bow and stern of warships black was not Dazzle Camouflage… now they have. The Russian Navy has begun painting some valuable warships in a World War Two dazzle-inspired camouflage.
Two Pr.22800 Karakurt Class missile corvettes, the first of class Mytishchi and newest Burya, have had the new camouflage applied. The two ships have different camouflage markings but they appear to follow the same ‘pattern’ and logic. Their bows are painted black, but with large white rectangles. The stern of Mytishchi has been painted with a typical World War Two ‘chevron checkerboard’ dazzle. A similar pattern, but with much smaller segments, has been applied to the aft superstructure. Two wavy vertical black lines have been painted amidships running the entire height of hull and the superstructure. Burya does not have these lines, and we cannot see her stern in the available photo, but she does have visible white markings applied to at least some of her superstructure. Both vessels also have extensive anti-drone netting.
Burya (behind) & Mytishchi (closest) in Kronstadt, July 2026. Photo by E. Lyakhman, via Massimo Frantarelli on Bluesky (@mrfrantarelli.bsky.social)
The new camo is likely intended to confuse Ukrainian drone pilots. Aerial drones (OWA-UAVs – one way attack uncrewed air vehicles) are the main threat to Russian warships in the Baltic. There have been many Ukrainian raids in St. Petersburg area now, some targeting warships. For example on 25th March 2026 Ukrainian drones hit the Pr.23550 arctic patrol ship Purga (475) in Vyborg near St. Petersburg. Ship sunk and capsized at the quay. Then on 3rd June 2026 at least two Ukrainian OWA-UAVs hit the Pr.20380 Steregushchiy class corvette Boikiy in dry dock at Kronstadt, St. Petersburg. The vessel was extensively damaged, likely a write-off.
Mytishchi in Kronstadt, July 2026. Via Massimo Frantarelli on Bluesky (@mrfrantarelli.bsky.social)
This is the latest in a string of camouflages and deceptions the Russian Navy has attempted to apply, generally with poor results. Initially side numbers were removed from the hulls (a sebsible precaution), then a new deceptive camouflage saw the bow and sterns of ships painted black. That is likely mainly aimed at satellite observation. Many ships have received camouflage nets, either to hide them or disguise battle damage. And fake submarine silhouettes have been painted on the quayside at Novorossiysk. More recently the focus has been on anti-drone cages and nets intended to reduce the physical impact of drones. It is debatable whether this latest ‘Dazzle’ effort will catch on.
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