Rubin (Project 12660 (Gorya))

The Project 12660 Gorya class is a large, ocean-going mine countermeasures vessel designed for deep-water mine hunting and destruction. It was equipped with advanced sonar systems and remotely operated vehicles for effective mine clearance operations.

Developed by the Western Design Bureau in the late 1970s, the Project 12660 class was designed to counter advanced, deep-water naval mines deployed by NATO forces that exceeded the depth limits of existing Soviet minesweepers. The lead vessel, originally named Rubin and later renamed Zheleznyakov, was laid down in 1985 and entered service with the Soviet Navy in 1988. These vessels were deployed to the Black Sea and Northern Fleets, where they conducted patrol and mine-clearance exercises in challenging environments like the Barents Sea. Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ambitious building program was halted after only two units were completed, leaving them as highly specialized, low-density assets in the Russian Navy.