Moment Ukrainian sea drone cripples Russian warship...
UKRAINE has launched an audacious assault on russia’s Black Sea fleet – deploying speed boats laden with high explosives to destroy a warship.
remarkable pictures recorded by a camera aboard one of the £200,000 unmanned surface vessels (USV) captured the moment it struck the 2,200-ton Olenegorsky Gornyak.
a pair of 18ft maritime drones are thought to have travelled hundreds of miles to reach the russian port of novorossiysk. it is a main export point for oil piped from russia and kazakhstan, from where 600,000 barrels a day are shipped overseas.
The targeting of a commercial port appeared an eye for an eye response to russia’s attempts to destroy Ukraine’s grain export infrastructure.
The black and white footage shows the USV silently approaching the dimly lit port on a still night.
a russian warship then appears in its sights. The drone homes in on the vessel and accelerates towards it.
The footage dramatically cuts out as the USV comes into contact with the side of the warship. Footage taken from further away shows a huge explosion, with a fireball sent high into the sky before smoke engulfs the Ropucha class vessel.
Photographs taken early the next morning captured it listing severely in the crystal blue waters, and being towed by two other boats while part-submerged.
The extraordinary images made a mockery of the kremlin’s attempts to claim its warships repelled the USVs.
Last night, Sidharth kaushal from the RUSI (royal United Services institute) military think- tank, said the daring attack could have consequences for commercial shipping and for russian naval operations.
He added: ‘Ukraine had declared novorossiysk and other ports no go zones, but this had been a paper blockade.
‘This incident puts commercial shipping on notice and could trigger a spike in war risk premiums.
‘The attack is also a logical extension to Ukraine’s assault on russia’s logistical support for Crimea. recently it has hit railheads, roads, the kerch bridge and, now, its maritime infrastructure.’ Ukraine’s USVs are based on commercially available vessels manufactured in Canada.
They are remotely controlled and avoid radar due to their low profile in the water. Their acoustic signature is also difficult to detect. On Thursday night the vessels were packed with 440lb of explosives. Their range is estimated to be around 450 miles and their top speed 50mph.
The United States is believed to have supplied USVs to Ukraine while, last year, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky launched a crowd funding appeal to purchase 100 more. Ukraine, which lost its navy fleet when russia invaded Crimea in 2014, has sunk at least 20 russian warships since last year.
its successes include destroying the huge Moskva, the flagship of Black Sea fleet.
it is estimated a fifth of the missiles fired towards Ukrainian cities are launched from russian warships.
Ukraine employs a swarm strategy, often sending as many as six USVs towards a target, assuming most may be intercepted. Using multiple drones has proved harder for russia to counter.
The USVs were first used in October
2022 in attacks on novorossiysk and Sevastopol. The drones penetrated the harbours and damaged a frigate and a minesweeper.
russia enhanced its security procedures in the aftermath, installing anti- USV wires and booms, but to no avail.