Watch: Russian Drone Aircraft Destroys Ukrainian Drone Boat In Black Sea

Russia has released a video showing a drone aircraft destroying a Ukrainian sea drone in the Black Sea. This is the first recorded footage, shared by the Russian Ministry of Defense, showing a Kronshtadt Orion/Inokhodets unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) attacking a Ukrainian Magura drone boat with a missile.

Both Russia and Ukraine have increasingly used drones in their conflict, with social media posts frequently showing airborne drones attacking land-based and aerial targets.

However, Russia’s use of an armed UAV against a naval drone is something new.

Ukraine’s drone forces have weakened the Russian Black Sea Fleet over the past two years. Repeated attacks by Ukrainian Magura drone boats and Western-supplied cruise missiles have forced the Russian Navy to withdraw most of its warships from Sevastopol and relocate them to Novorossiysk, near the Kerch Strait.

Despite this relocation, Russian assets in Novorossiysk remain vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks. In response, Russia has deployed helicopters to intercept approaching Magura boats.

However, Ukrainian forces have countered this tactic by equipping their drone boats with self-guided air-to-air missiles.

Russian MoD video showing an Inokhodets / Orion UCAV targeting a naval drone.https://t.co/k6NTHLVd4b pic.twitter.com/TqDKkyCQCP

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) February 2, 2025

In December, a Magura drone repeatedly destroyed two Russian helicopters in a single engagement, making it the first known incident of a naval drone taking down an aircraft.

Russia has turned to unmanned combat drones, which are less expensive to lose than helicopters or manned aircraft. The Orion drone has not been widely used in front-line combat in eastern Ukraine, as it is vulnerable to Ukrainian air defences. Instead, it is now being deployed in areas with weaker air defences, such as the Black Sea.

Military analysts have said that while drone-on-drone attacks are common in the war, this could be the first time a drone aircraft has successfully targeted a naval drone.

Some reports suggest that U.S. forces may have previously used drones to destroy Houthi drone boats near Yemen, but no official confirmation has been made.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has also reported the destruction of another Ukrainian unmanned boat heading toward Crimea. According to the military, the vessel was intercepted by Russian naval forces in the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

On the same day, Russian air defence systems intercepted and destroyed nine Ukrainian aerial drones. Seven were shot down over Bryansk, while one was intercepted over Belgorod and another over Saratov.

The previous day, Russian forces claimed to have destroyed 49 Ukrainian drones across seven regions. Between January 25 and 31, Russian forces conducted seven large-scale strikes using high-precision weapons and attack drones.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that these strikes targeted Ukrainian energy facilities, military airfields, drone and unmanned boat assembly and storage sites, and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops.

Despite Russia’s efforts to defend its assets, Ukraine continues to target Crimea and the Russian Navy. Kyiv has stated that it aims to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula, which has been under Russian control since 2014. The Black Sea Fleet, once dominant in the region, has suffered heavy losses due to Ukrainian attacks.

Military bloggers tracking the war have suggested that the recent Orion UCAV strike could mark Russia’s first recorded case of using a drone aircraft against a naval drone.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based think tank, reported that Russian forces appear to be developing new strategies to counter Ukrainian naval drone threats.

Ukraine has deployed different types of naval drones in the Black Sea, including the Magura V5 and the SBU-operated SeaBaby USVs. Ukrainian forces have also used their naval drones to shoot down Russian helicopters.

Apart from this, Ukraine’s SBU security service announced that it had detained an agent from Russia’s FSB security service in the southern city of Odesa. The individual was allegedly spying on Ukrainian vessels operating in the Black Sea.

Reference: bignewsnetwork

Source: Maritime Shipping News