Kresta

Kresta is the name of a class of Soviet anti‑submarine cruisers that served the Russian Navy during the Cold War. The class, formally designated Project 1134A and later Project 1134B, was developed in the 1960s in response to the growing capabilities of NATO submarine forces. The construction of the Kresta‑class ships began in 1968 and continued until 1975, with five vessels built: Kresta I, II, III, IV and V.

The Kresta‑class design emphasized anti‑submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities integrated with air defense and surface‑to‑surface strike functions. These cruisers measured approximately 180 meters in length, displaced around 11,500 tons at full load, and were powered by turbine engines that gave a top speed of 33 knots. Their armament included 30 mm guns, a 9K35 Strela‑2 missile system, a 9K33 Osa surface‑to‑air missile system, and an array of anti‑submarine weapons such as RBU‑6000 rocket launchers and torpedo tubes. They also carried a helicopter squadron on the afterdeck, typically a Ka‑27 or Ka‑29, enhancing their ability to detect and engage submarines at extended ranges.

In service, the Kresta ships participated in multi‑fleet exercises, maritime patrol missions, and convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Several of the vessels were later converted into guided‑missile frigates (Project 1135M) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, reflecting evolving naval strategy and technology. By the early 1990s, the last remaining Kresta‑class ships were retired or scrapped due to their aging technology and the changing geopolitical landscape after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Kresta class remains a notable example of the Soviet Union’s emphasis on specialized surface combatants designed to counter NATO’s submarine threat, and they are studied by naval historians as part of Cold War maritime strategy and shipbuilding practices.