Russian cruiser Kerch

Kerch in Sevastopol Bay, 2009
History
Russia
Name:	Kerch
Builder:	61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant (SY 445), Nikolayev
Laid down:	30 April 1971
Launched:	21 July 1972
Commissioned:	25 December 1974
Status:	In reserve
General characteristics
Class and type:	Kara-class cruiser
Displacement:	8,900 tons
Length:	173.4 m (568.9 ft)
Beam:	18.5 m (60.7 ft)
Draft:	5.4 m (17.7 ft)
Propulsion:	4 turbine-type generators GTG-12,5A x1250 kW 1 turbine-type generator GTG-6M 600 kW
Speed:	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range:	9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi)
Complement:	425
Armament:	2 quad SS-N-14 Silex anti-submarine missiles 2 twin SA-N-3 Goblet surface-to-air missile launchers (80 missiles) SA-N-4 Gecko surface-to-air missile launchers (40 missiles) 2 twin 76mm AK-726 dual purpose guns 4 30mm AK-630 CIWS 2 × 5 533 mm PTA-53-1134B torpedo tubes 2 RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers 2 RBU-1000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
Aircraft carried:	1 Kamov Ka-25

Kerch (Керчь) was a Kara-class missile cruiser of the Soviet and later Russian Navy. It served as part of the Black Sea Fleet.

As of 2014, the ship was laid up for scrapping following a large fire which broke out on 4 November 2014.

Kerch was laid down in the Soviet Union on 30 April 1971, launched on 21 July 1972 and was commissioned in the Soviet Black Sea Fleet on 25 December 1974. The ship was constructed in the 61 Kommunar Shipyard at Nikolayev (Mykolaiv) on the Black Sea. She was in service with the Soviet Fleet until 1991, and then joined its successor, Russian Navy.

On 4 November 2014 a fire broke out aboard the ship during a routine servicing in Sevastopol. According to officials nobody was injured and the fire was contained to the ship's aft. According to some sources the ship is laid up for scrapping. However, according to others the ship will be repaired and will be returned to active service.