Chuda

"Those planes... are you the Razgriz? ... I knew it! This is the Yuktobanian destroyer, Chuda. It is an honor to fight alongside you."

- Gumrak crewman

The Chuda was a Yuktobanian Sovremenny-class destroyer that served during the Circum-Pacific War. She, along with several other Yuktobanian warships, defected to the Kestrel Fleet in late December 2010 after the frigate Pitomnik disobeyed direct orders and was sunk by her countrymen.

History
The Chuda was constructed sometime before 2010; her battle record prior to the Circum-Pacific War remains unknown. However, at some point, the Chuda became attached to a sizable Yuktobanian naval armada stationed in the Ceres Ocean.

On December 29, 2010, at 1721hrs, the Chuda and its battle group encountered a small Osean fleet, which included the OFS Kestrel, and began making battle preparations. Yuktobania's prime minister, Seryozha Viktrovich Nikanor, who was aboard the Kestrel after being freed from captivity one week earlier, attempted to mollify his countrymen via the Kestrel's loudspeaker. However, the prime minister's conciliatory words were disregarded by the Yuktobanian fleet commander, who branded Nikanor a traitor for siding with the Oseans, and ordered his fleet to sink the Osean vessels along with Nikanor.

When the frigate Pitomnik refused to comply and was sunk by her own fleet, the captain of another destroyer—the Gumrak—announced his intentions to protect Nikanor and rallied other Yuktobanian vessels to follow him. The Chuda's captain ordered his vessel to join the Gumrak and Dub, which eluded hostile fire and assumed a battle formation several hundred meters ahead of the Osean fleet. Due to the efforts of Razgriz Squadron, the Chuda and its new coalition fleet survived the engagement. She likely returned to service in the Yuktobanian Navy after the war's conclusion.

Trivia

 * The Russian word "chuda" (Чуда) means "marvel" or "wonder".