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Ukraine has started mass-producing two sea drones capable of carrying up to one ton of explosives as the military sets its sights on retaking Crimea, a crown jewel in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions for the neighboring country.
“These are already new generations of drones, on the improvement of which the team of SBU specialists worked and continues to work together with other members of the Security and Defense Forces,” Artem Dekhtiarenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s security service SBU, said in a press release.
“This means that the SBU can reach a target almost anywhere in the Black Sea,” Dekhtiarenko added.
Ukraine has made it a mission to try and destroy the bridges connecting Russian supply chains to Crimea, which continues to serve as a major operational hub for Russia as it perpetuates its invasion, East2West News reported. Additionally, the Ukrainian Navy has made surprising and significant gains against its Russian counterpart, pushing back the Black Sea Fleet from more valuable coastal positions.
Ukraine also employs a “fast” kamikaze surface drone called the Cossack Mamai, which can hit 62 miles per hour, according to Ukrainian outlet EuroMaiden Press.
In this handout photo made from video released by the Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev telegram channel on Saturday, April 29, 2023, smoke and flame rise from a burning fuel tank in Sevastopol, Crimea. (Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev telegram channel via AP)
SBU has touted the Mamai as “the fastest object in the Black Sea,” measuring nearly 20 feet long and equipped with observational equipment and bulletproof materials.
Ukraine’s reliance on drones extends to land and air: Kyiv has used drones to carry out direct attacks on Russian personnel, including an attempt to hit the Kremlin itself. While Kyiv did not take credit for the attack, the U.S. said that Ukrainian intelligence or special military was “likely” behind the attack.
