I have split Ukrainian and Russian USV types into seperate guides.
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Overview Of Russian Maritime Drones (USVs) Of The Russo-Ukrainian War
Russia has been slower to adopt uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), but has been using them in the Black Sea. The main targets are the Odesa region and Dnipro River.
Orcan / Zefir
Small lightweight USV used to simulate Ukrainian ones, goes by both names. Possibly used offensively. See improved version below.
Orcan USV Specifications
Length: 5.3 meters
Beam: 1.7 meters
Height: 0.8 meters
Payload: 100 liters
CLICK to Enlarge. A Zefir / Orcan being used for training Russian Navy FPV drone pilots to counter Ukrainian USV threats in August 2024.
Improved Orcan / Zefir
An improved version of the Orcan was revealed in July 2025. It has an enlarged forward hull, likely pointing to a ramming charge for offensive use, and refined lines. In many respects the Russian analogue to the Magura V3.
Comparison of masts of the original Orcan (left) and improved version (right).
Unnamed types
Few details available. Possibly has hangars amidships, which logically may be for the 'Skvorets-VMS' quadrotor drone.
Katran
Russia's Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies, a tech accelerator, have revealed a new trimaran aluminum surface drone (USV). The USV has been labelled 'Katran', the Russian name for the Spiny Dogfish, a small species of shark. Confusingly, a Ukrainian USV is also called Katran, and the two should not be mixed up.
Limited information is available. The vessel is of aluminum construction and has outboard motor in an aluminum shroud, possibly intended as armor, or to reduce its infrared signature.
Armament is shown as a single machine gun, possibly on a trainable mount.
Dandelion
The BBKN Dandelion (ББКН «Одуванчик») is a small USV developed by KMZ (Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant) in St. Petersburg. The latest image suggests a very different design to the RK-700 Vizir USVs previously marketed by the company.
Limited information is available. According to reports it can reach 80 km per hour (43 knots) and has a range of 200 km (108 NM). This would mean that it is shorter ranged than the Ukrainian types. Its payload of 600 kg is similar. Most probably this would be a warhead in the bow, although many options can be considered. However, these specifications are remarkably similar to those published for the RK-700 Vizir design. So a reporting error is a distinct possibility.
Murena 300S
The Murena 300S appears generally comparable with Ukrainian types. The Murena (Moray Eel) is approximately the same size as the Ukrainian Magura V5 and Sea Navy designs. The producer, LLC KB Center for Unmanned Systems, advertises it for Defense of Naval facilities, mine laying, mine clearance, patrolling and reconnaissance. On September 19 2024 it was displayed to President Putin while armed with UMT 220mm lightweight torpedoes (in dummy form).
The vessel has a simple metal semi-planing powerboat hull similar to the classic Soviet-era ‘Progress’ series. Unlike most, but not all, Ukrainian designs it has an outboard motor.
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Significantly, it appears to have a Starlink antenna. The apparent antenna as been hidden under camouflage netting but its distinctive shape is evident. The corners of the square antenna are also just visible in photographs from the event.
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