The Ukrainian sea drones hunting Russian warships

Drones have been used to target Russian ships in the past. But the latest attack was the first time they have been seen by the public. The attack was carried out by a group known as the Group-13. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.

The Magura V5, named after a Slavic goddess of war, looks like a small motorboat with a flat surface instead of passenger seats. Group-13 had attacked and damaged the ship twice in the past, but only managed to sink it on the third attempt. The drone can allegedly carry 250kg of payload, enough to sink a warship. The drone is controlled from base via a satellite link.

You can control if from any part of the world if you have internet, says Thirteenth. The Magura V5 has back-up connections in case the main one fails. Russian electronic warfare systems can jam the signal, but he claims the drones are able to overcome it. The use of special tracer ammunition, which lights up when discharged, helps Russian soldiers to direct their fire at night.

But those rounds also help Ukrainian drone operators dodge bullets. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR, does not disclose the cost of its drones. Several drones are usually involved in a single attack in order to increase the chances of hitting the target. Group-13 destroyed Russian missile boat Ivanovets last month.

It would have cost Russia more than all drones produced by HUR since the beginning of 2023. Ukraine’s success with naval drones in this war dates back to the 2022 attack on the flagship Admiral Makarov. It also carried out drone attacks last year on the Kerch Bridge, which connects occupied Crimea and Russia. Russia has lost five of an estimated 13 amphibious landing ships in the Black Sea.

Two of its four smaller patrol warships have been destroyed or damaged. Moscow was forced to withdraw the core of its fleet from Crimea and move them further east, to Novorossiysk. It is believed there are 10 Russian cruise missile carriers, including three submarines, remaining in the Black Sea. Almost all of them are now stationed in Novorossiysk.

The last confirmed launch was in mid-February and there had been no cruise missile launches from the sea for several months.

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