Alexandrit-class (Project 12700)

The Alexandrit class (Project 12700 Aleksandrit, named after the mineral alexandrite) is the newest generation of Russian mine countermeasures vessels, designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau and built by the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in Saint Petersburg. The lead ship, Aleksandr Obukhov, was laid down on 22 September 2011 and commissioned on 9 December 2016, after delays caused by international sanctions and France's refusal to deliver mine search equipment.

The defining feature of the class is its monolithic fiberglass hull, shaped by vacuum infusion — the largest of its kind in the world. This construction method produces a lighter hull with a longer service life and a minimal magnetic signature, making the ships virtually undetectable by magnetic mines. The Alexandrit class is designed to employ a combination of traditional mine sweeping systems, tele-guided remotely operated vehicles, and autonomous unmanned underwater and surface vehicles to locate and neutralize mines at safe distances.

Russia has ambitious plans for the class, with a total of 40 ships envisaged to modernize the mine warfare fleets across all four Russian naval fleets — the Northern, Pacific, Baltic, and Black Sea Fleets. The shipyard targets a production rate of two vessels per year. Nine ships have been completed and are in active service, with six more under construction. In January 2024, the Almaz Bureau announced plans to modernize the design for future units. India has also expressed interest in producing the class under license, requiring at least ten ships, though talks were suspended pending evaluation of the lead ship's operational performance.