Boris Chilikin

The Boris Chilikin class (Project 1559V) is a series of large fleet replenishment oilers designed for the Soviet Navy. These auxiliary vessels were built to provide liquid cargo, such as fuel and water, as well as dry provisions to warships operating at sea. They were essential for sustaining long-range Soviet naval deployments during the Cold War.

Developed in the late 1960s to meet the global ambitions of the Soviet Navy, the lead ship Boris Chilikin entered service in 1970. A total of six vessels were constructed at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad between 1970 and 1978. They served across all major Soviet fleets, providing critical logistical support in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, several units continued service with the Russian Navy, while others were sold or scrapped.