Since their first deployment, naval unmanned boats (USVs) have become a formidable weapon for Ukraine, and have inflicted heavy losses on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Amid Moscow’s efforts to prevent the threat, Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych, commander of the USV operating unit of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), emphasized that Kiev still achieved success in attacks to reopen the country. maritime corridor in the Black Sea, forcing the Russian military to redeploy forces in the area.
“The enemy immediately responded to the threat from USV, but we were still a few steps ahead,” Business Insider quoted Mr. Lukashevych as saying.
Ukrainian naval unmanned boat (USV). Photo: United 24
The first time Ukraine introduced USVs was in 2022. Since then, Kiev has developed the so-called “world’s first USV fleet” called Sea Baby. Ukraine’s Sea Baby USVs have been used in numerous devastating attacks targeting Russian warships and infrastructure around the Black Sea.
Moscow has intercepted, and even destroyed, some Ukrainian USVs. But in reality, Ukrainian weapons still cause serious damage to Russian warships.
“Russia’s first move is to deploy machine gun teams on warships to shoot down USVs, and strengthen air defense capabilities. Accordingly, Russian military aircraft and helicopters continuously patrol the coast and the western waters of the Black Sea,” General Lukashevych said.
However, according to the Ukrainian general, the Ukrainian navy and SBU worked together to quickly upgrade the Sea Baby to become “stronger, more effective and more dangerous” than previous models to be able to penetrate enemy lines. defense of Russian warships, and other targets.
This process includes increasing the size of the warhead, extending the time spent underwater and increasing the operating distance to include from positions in southern Ukraine to the Crimean peninsula, and back.
“The Russian side understands very well the capabilities of Ukrainian USVs. They tested the distance the USV could operate, attack speed, and payload carried. Because they really want to learn some new details,” Mr. Lukashevych said.
He further explained, SBU is testing and producing USVs in multiple locations and is constantly relocating. Special operations are also carried out from command posts in different areas. In addition, USVs have been upgraded to multi-task to prevent the Russian fleet from approaching the Ukrainian coast.
Image of Ukrainian USV attacking the Russian ship Olenegorsky Gornyak. Photo: Reuters
In early February, Ukraine announced that it had damaged or destroyed more than 24 Russian warships, equivalent to 1/3 of the Black Sea Fleet, since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022.
Ukraine’s USV attacks forced a number of Russian warships to leave their headquarters in the port of Sevastopol for the city of Novorossiysk in Russia.
According to the Ukrainian official, the above step has allowed Kiev to re-establish an important maritime corridor in the Black Sea after a period of blockade.
“We have liberated the grain corridor, and prevented the operation of Russian missile launchers from the sea into Ukrainian territory,” Mr. Lukashevych emphasized, adding, “Forcing the enemy to flee from the Black Sea is the goal we sought, and achieved.”