Ukraine’s navy released video footage Saturday depicting what it described as the first-ever naval engagement between uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). The video, reportedly captured from a Ukrainian vessel, shows a remotely piloted Ukrainian drone firing upon a Russian ship.
A statement from the Ukrainian Navy’s Telegram account identified its USV as the Sargan 3000, equipped with a 12.7 mm “Protector” weapon, and stated that the country’s military intelligence agency participated in the operation. The Navy described the encounter as “the first-ever battle” between such craft.
The conflict occurs amidst an ongoing war that has increasingly utilized drone technology. Russia has employed Iranian and other drones, often referred to as “kamikaze” drones, to strike Ukrainian cities. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has developed a range of drones for intercepting Russian attacks and for strikes deeper into Russian territory.
The New York Post was unable to independently verify the identity of the destroyed vessel or the exact date of the clash. The footage shows the Russian drone sinking, with no indication of survivors.
This development follows a recent incident where Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have captured a US Navy drone submarine, raising concerns about the potential reverse-engineering of the technology or its transfer to Russia or China.