After nearly three years on the back foot, Russian forces are finally mounting a concerted effort to contain the threat posed by Ukrainian sea drones.
These unmanned systems have repeatedly dealt painful blows to Russian assets in Crimea and the Black Sea, consistently keeping the Black Sea Fleet on the defensive.
Ukrainian sea drone strikes have sunk or damaged multiple vessels, compelling Russia to withdraw much of its fleet from Crimean waters.
Ukrainian Sea Drones: Five Devastating Blows To Russian Forces
Ukrainian sea drones have emerged as a formidable weapon, inflicting a series of damaging and high-profile blows on Russian forces in the Black Sea and Crimea.
Below are five major incidents that highlight the growing effectiveness of Ukraine’s unmanned naval warfare:
October 29, 2022
Ukraine launched a coordinated attack using unmanned surface vessels (USVs) on Russian warships docked at Sevastopol, including the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, Admiral Makarov.
The assault marked the first major use of sea drones in the conflict and underscored their potential to strike deep inside heavily defended waters.
July 17, 2023
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deployed SeaBaby USVs packed with explosives to strike the Kerch Bridge. The attack damaged both the road and rail sections, temporarily halting traffic and disrupting a key Russian supply route to Crimea.
August 4, 2023
An SBU-operated USV struck the landing ship Olenegorskiy Gornyak in Novorossiysk Bay, causing a serious breach in the hull. The attack reportedly killed one crew member and injured five others, demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to extend its reach even to Russia’s mainland naval facilities.
January 31–February 1, 2024
Ukrainian special forces from Group 13 used Magura V5 USVs to deliver a direct hit on the Russian missile corvette Ivanovets off the coast of Alupka, Crimea. The resulting explosion sank the vessel, marking one of Ukraine’s most significant naval victories of the war.
February 14, 2024
In a coordinated strike, five Magura V5 USVs attacked the Russian amphibious assault ship Tsezar Kunikov approximately 4 kilometers off Alupka. The attack inflicted critical damage to the port side, ultimately sinking the ship, which was reportedly carrying weapons and ammunition.
The Snake Island Strike
Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, is located in the Black Sea, about 35 kilometers off the coast of Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast, near the Danube Delta.
The island has become a strategic hub for Ukraine’s sea drones in the Black Sea. It plays a key role in surveillance and the monitoring of maritime traffic bound for Odessa.
Snake Island also serves as a forward control post for the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. In addition, it is used to support Ukrainian sea drone operations targeting Russian naval vessels and coastal infrastructure in Crimea.
On June 6-7, a Russian naval Spetsnaz unit “Espanola”, using an Ajax V-300 drone, conducted aerial reconnaissance of the island to identify targets and relay targeting data.
Later, Russian Tu-22M3 bombers struck the Island with four Kh-22 supersonic cruise missiles, targeting Ukrainian radar and missile defenses as well as control and communication infrastructure.
The attack was aimed at countering Ukraine’s Black Sea dominance and securing Russian shipping lanes. NATO warplanes were scrambled in response, highlighting the importance of the target.
Attack On Drilling Rig In The Black Sea
On June 9, the Russian Aerospace Forces struck the Ukrainian-controlled Tavrida drilling rig in the Black Sea, east of Snake Island. The attack was carried out using a Kh-22 or Kh-32 supersonic cruise missile, launched from a Tu-22M3 Backfire-C strategic bomber.
Video footage, captured by a Russian surveillance drone, showed the missile hitting the base of the platform, resulting in a large explosion.
According to Russian sources, the strike aimed to disrupt Ukraine’s use of offshore infrastructure critical to naval drone operations and maritime surveillance targeting Crimea.
The Tavrida rig reportedly served as a docking and refueling station for Ukrainian sea drones, housing equipment used for navigation and the remote control of unmanned surface vehicles.
The platform, capable of accommodating up to 60 personnel, featured a 25×25 meter helicopter deck rated to support rotorcraft weighing up to 12.8 tons.
Reports suggest the rig was struck while Ukrainian forces were preparing to launch drone attacks, allegedly intended to disrupt the upcoming tourist season in Crimea and the Kuban region.
Sea Drone Warfare Advances
As Ukraine continues to leverage sea drones in its campaign against Russian forces in the Black Sea, Russia has responded by intensifying efforts to counter the threat, both by targeting supporting infrastructure and advancing its own drone warfare capabilities.
Beyond strikes on key Ukrainian logistics hubs, Russia has sharpened its use of loitering munitions for counter-sea drone operations, enhancing both reconnaissance and strike effectiveness. Russian forces have also refined their engagement tactics to better intercept fast-moving Ukrainian drones before they reach their targets.
Recent technological improvements have extended the operational range of Russian kamikaze drones to 50 kilometers. These have been paired with Zala reconnaissance UAVs, allowing for coordinated detection and engagement of maritime threats.
To strengthen early warning and tracking, a larger number of Orion MALE drones have been deployed in Crimea, enabling more effective wide-area surveillance and long-range threat identification.
Several recent videos circulated on social media show Russian forces intercepting and destroying Ukrainian sea drones during their attack runs.
On June 9, 2025, Russia reportedly used a new loitering munition called “Klin” to destroy a Ukrainian FPV drone carrier operating near offshore platforms in the Black Sea.
The Klin is said to feature autonomous targeting and airburst warheads that disperse pre-formed fragments, optimized for engaging small, fast-moving targets, such as sea drones.
The Klin’s precision capabilities were amply demonstrated in its successful strike against a GUR-operated Ukrainian vessel, suggesting a new level of effectiveness in Russian counter-drone tactics.
On the night of June 10, another Ukrainian sea drone was reportedly destroyed west of Tarkhankut, underscoring the increasing intensity and effectiveness of Russia’s layered defense against unmanned maritime threats.
Conclusion
The release of footage showing Russian precision strikes on Ukrainian sea drones and related infrastructure has been widely welcomed by pro-Russian social media accounts, portraying it as a sign of growing control over the maritime domain.
However, there is a growing recognition that Russia cannot afford to be complacent. Ukraine remains deeply invested in the use of sea drones as an asymmetric tool to challenge Russian naval superiority, and continues to innovate rapidly.
While Russian forces appear to be making progress in countering surface-based sea drones, a new and more complex threat is emerging—that of underwater drones. These unmanned subsurface systems present a formidable technological challenge, with detection and interception far more difficult than their surface counterparts.
In this evolving theater of drone warfare, the undersea domain may soon become the next decisive front in the battle for control of the Black Sea.
- Vijainder K Thakur is a retired IAF Jaguar pilot, author, software architect, entrepreneur, and military analyst.
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