Ukraine’s Naval Drones Strike Russian Patrol Boats in Crimea

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) used naval drones to hit two Russian patrol boats in occupied Crimea on May 30. The attack was confirmed by a source in the agency and a video released by the military intelligence agency. This marks another significant blow to Russian naval forces in the region, reports The Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian Naval Drones in Action

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR, successfully deployed Magura V5 naval drones to strike two Russian patrol boats, likely KS-701 Tunets models, in occupied Crimea on May 30. The attack, confirmed by HUR and supported by video evidence, highlights Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Russian naval operations in the Black Sea.

The HUR’s Group 13 unit targeted a boat depot in Vuzka Bay, near the town of Chornomorske on Crimea’s western coast. The agency reported that Russian forces scrambled their aircraft 32 times, including Su-27/30/35 and MiG-29 jets, Be-12 and An-26 aircraft, and Ka-27/29 and Mi-8 helicopters. Despite these efforts, the Ukrainian drones successfully destroyed the two patrol boats.

“Russian troops responded randomly with fire from small arms and 30 mm cannons,” the statement read, indicating the chaotic nature of the Russian defense during the attack.

Russian Response and Earlier Incidents

Earlier on May 30, Russian authorities claimed a Ukrainian missile attack damaged two transport ferries in Kerch, eastern Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that Russian air defense downed eight U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles and eight drones overnight.

This attack is part of a series of successful Ukrainian operations against Russian targets in Crimea. On March 5, Magura drones destroyed the Russian Sergey Kotov patrol ship, and on February 14, they sunk the Ropucha-class landing ship Caesar Kunikov. These attacks have significantly degraded the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s capabilities.

Supporting Evidence

Purported footage of the May 30 attack by Ukrainian naval drones against a Russian boat depot in Crimea has been circulated by HUR, further confirming the effectiveness of these drone operations. These strategic strikes demonstrate Ukraine’s ability to use advanced Drone Technology to challenge Russian naval dominance.

DroneXL’s Take

Ukraine’s use of naval drones to target Russian vessels in Crimea underscores the increasing importance of drone technology in modern warfare. These successful attacks highlight the potential of drones to carry out precise and impactful military operations. As Ukraine continues to innovate and deploy these advanced systems, the balance of naval power in the Black Sea could shift, presenting new challenges for Russian forces.

Photo courtesy of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.