Ukraine has announced that its sea drones successfully struck and sank two ships belonging to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The attack was captured on video, which shows the explosive aftermath in occupied Crimea. This incident highlights Ukraine’s skillful use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to target the Russian navy in the Black Sea.

The video footage, released by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, shows two separate drone attacks on Russian landing ships. The first drone boat navigates the Black Sea waters before veering towards a Russian ship, resulting in an explosion. The second drone boat then targets another vessel, hitting it. The video concludes with a ship on fire in the water. Satellite images released by Ukraine confirm that both ships were sunk in the Uzka Bay.

Ukraine has been utilizing its fleet of explosive drone boats to disrupt Russian ships since late last year. These USVs have proven to be a cost-effective and asymmetric advantage for Ukraine, causing significant damage to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine aims to establish the world’s first naval fleet of drones.

In addition to the sea drones, Ukraine has also utilized Western-made cruise missiles to target vulnerable Russian assets in Crimea. Most recently, Ukrainian forces used long-range SCALP-EG missiles to strike a new Russian corvette, rendering it out of action. These actions raise questions about Russia’s ability to protect its Black Sea Fleet.

In other developments in the Black Sea, a Russian anti-radar missile hit a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, causing casualties. The missile may have been intended for Ukrainian military radars but locked onto the cargo ship’s radar instead. This incident underscores concerns about Russian weapon employment tactics.

Overall, Ukraine’s use of sea drones and cruise missiles has proven to be effective in targeting Russian naval assets in the Black Sea. These actions highlight Russia’s vulnerability in the region and its struggle to adapt to Ukraine’s persistent aggression.