Russian Navy paints Baltic fleet ships with dazzle camouflage

The Russian Navy has begun repainting parts of its Baltic Fleet vessels in high‑contrast, geometric dazzle patterns that were first used during the First World War. OSINT analyst H. I. Sutton reported that two Project 22800 Karakurt missile corvettes, Mytiśczi and Buria, were observed in Kronstadt in July 2026 with black noses, white rectangles and additional anti‑drone protections. The camouflage is intended to hinder visual, thermal and satellite identification and to make it harder for Ukrainian drone operators to lock onto the ships. While the method may confuse some sensors, experts note that large warships remain detectable and the real impact on survivability is uncertain. The experiment comes as the Baltic Sea faces intensified monitoring by NATO states after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Finland and Sweden now members of the alliance.