Timeline of Ukraine Invasion: War In The Black Sea

Reflecting on the Russo-Ukraine War, I am putting together a timeline of the most relevant events in the Black Sea. This will not be exhaustive, but should provide a useful overview. Hopefully this will be of benefit to those interested in studying the war at a later date.

If I have missed anything significant please let me know. The usual caveats apply

Build -up phase

Jan-Feb 2022: Russia builds up a force in the Mediterranean. Under Russian doctrine this is to counter the NATO presence there and deter intervention.

Jan: Russia transports several Raptor assault boats from Baltic fleet to Black Sea via road. Candid video shared Jan 30.

Feb 8-9: Six Russian warships enter the Black Sea as part of build up, transiting the Bosporus. Mainly landing ships and an Improved KILO class submarine.

A Russian Navy landing ship RFS Kaliningrad (102) seen passing through the Dardanelles on February 8th. One of 6 vessels which transited to Black Sea. Photograph copyright Yörük Işık, via Naval News.

Feb 15: Russia deploys Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE-C bombers and MiG-31K FOXHOUND fighter jets to Khmeimim in Syria. These are to threaten NATO warships in the Mediterranean. Russia reports that the Kinzhal hypersonic missile carried by the Mig-31K can attack aircraft carriers. The Tu-22M3s are observed with legacy AS-4 KITCHEN missiles.

Feb: Russian Navy moves trained dolphin pens deployed to Sevastopol harbour entrance.

Early Invasion - The 3 Day War

Feb 24: Invasion begins.

Feb 24. Russian Navy captures strategic island of Snake Island. The SLAVA Class cruiser Moskva plays a prominent role. Reputedly, the Ukrainian garrison replies to suggestions to surrender with “Russian Warship, go ?!?% yourself”.

Feb 24: Russia declares a prohibition on navigation in the North-Western part of the Black Sea. Defined area down to the parallel 45-21 N, and from 0400 hours on 24 February 2022. Several third-country merchant ships were subsequently attacked, attributed to Russia. This blockade is total.

Late Feb: Anti-invasion naval mines laid off northern Black Sea coast, likely by Ukraine. Possibly some by Russia.

Feb 28: Bosporus closed to naval traffic. This prevents Russia transferring any of the remaining warships in the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. Russia had plans to send one, possibly two, more SLAVA class cruisers to Black Sea.

Before March 3: Majority of Ukrainian Navy warships, captured, sunk or scuttled at onset of invasion. Notably, the scuttled vessels include the frigate Hetman Sahaidachny. Ukraine, whose fleet was massively out-gunned, is left with only a few smaller vessels.

Feb-Mar: Russian Navy warships bombard Ukrainian coastline off Odesa.

Feb-Mar: Russia performs multiple amphibious demonstrations where landing ships, supported by minesweepers and other warships, threaten amphibious landings near Odesa. The landings were considered a serious threat but ultimately never come.

Mar 1: Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko revealed plans for an amphibious landing near Odesa in a televised security council meeting. The landings did not materialize.

Mar 3: Ukrainian Navy Island-class patrol boat Sloviansk (P190) sunk by Russian aircraft in northwest Black Sea, reportedly with an AS-17 KRYPTON (Kh-31) missile.

Mar 7: Reports that Ukraine hit and sunk a Russian patrol ship, Vasily Bykov, with rocket fire off Odesa. These reports subsequently shown to be incorrect, the first of several ‘wishful sinkings’.

Mid-Mar: Russia starts removing the hull numbers from its warships in the Black Sea to frustrate attempts to gather intelligence on movements. This can be viewed as a sensible precaution taken late.

March: Subsequent reports that the Russian frigate Admiral Essen was hit by a Neptune missile off Odesa. There were several ‘wishful sinkings’ at the time, however indications are that this occured. Missile did not hit cleanly, limited damage.

Mar 22: Russian Raptor class assault boat hit by Ukrainian anti-tank missile near Mariupol.

Mar 24: Russian Navy Alligator class landing ship Saratov hit while unloading at Berdyansk on Sea of Azov. Possibly hit by a Ukrainian ballistic missile. The ship explodes, damaging two Ropucha class landing ships which manage to escape. The ship sinks at the quay. Russia stops using the port for reinforcements.

CLICK to Enlarge. Russian Navy Alligator class landing ship Saratov on fire at Berdyansk

Apr 7: Reported in Naval News that SLAVA class cruiser Moskva is operating predictably. Precursor of things to come.

Apr 13. The SLAVA class cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet and most powerful warship in the area, is hit by two Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles. It sinks the next day.

CLICK to Enlarge.

Post Moskva Sinking

Apr 21: “Sapphire” Ukrainian search and rescue vessel was returned to Ukraine following its capture on Feb 26, as part of the first prisoner of war exchange.

May: Ukrainian engineers begin development of weaponized USVs (uncrewed surface vessels). The first type, the Magura V1, is tested over the summer.

May: Fighting intensifies around Snake Island. Ukrainian TB2 drones play a major role, hitting two Raptor assault boats and sinking a landing craft at the jetty. Russian attempts to reinforce and supply it begin to appear more precarious. On at least one occassion Ukraine deploys a BM-27 Uragan MLRS on a barge to bombard the island.

May 6: incorrect reports that Admiral Makarov was hit by missiles off Odesa. Subsequently not supported by evidence.

May: Russia takes at least one captured Ukrainian Navy Gyurza-M gunboat into operational service. It was one of several captured vessels transferred from Sea of Azov to Novorossiysk that month.

Late May: Harpoon and Brimstone missiles supplied to Ukraine. These threaten Russian Navy warships.

Late May: Smaller Russian warships, including gunboats, involved in capture of Mariupol.

Jun 10: Ukrainian Navy landing ship Yuri Olefirenko attacked by Russian rockets near Ochakiv. The ship, the largest remaining in the Ukrainian Navy, survives.

Jun 17: Russian ship Vasiliy Bekh, carrying a SA-15 GAUNTLET (Tor) air-defense missile system, is sunk by Harpoon or Neptune missiles.

Jun 20: Ukraine attacks Russian controlled gas platforms in mid-Black Sea with Harpoon or Neptune missiles. One platform still burning as-of Feb 2023.

Jun 29: Two target barges, normally resident in the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk, were towed to Kerch. They are positioned as decoys to protect the bridge from attack.

Jun 30: Russia abandons Snake Island.

Jul: Threatened by Harpoon and Neptune, Russian ships largely withdraw from western side of northern Black Sea. This is a significant change in the balance.

Jul 7: Ukrainian forces briefly land on Snake Island. Special Forces from 73rd Naval Special Purpose Center used underwater vehicles in this mission.

Jul 27: Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) agreed, effectively breaking the blockage of Odesa.

Ukraine Takes The Fight To Crimea

Jul 31: Ukrainian uncrewed air vehicle (UAV) attacks Russian Navy headquarters in Sevastopol. Russia cancels planned Navy Day events in the port.

Aug 17: Commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet (BSF), Admiral Igor Osipov, is removed from his post. His deputy, Viktor Sokolov, takes command.

Aug 20: Follow-up Ukrainian uncrewed air vehicle (UAV) attack Russian Navy headquarters in Sevastopol.

Aug 24: SLAVA Class cruiser Marshall Ustinov leaves Mediterranean, to return to Northern Fleet home. This leaves the Russian Navy weaker in the Mediterranean.

Early Sep: Russian nuclear powered submarine, likely Severodvinsk, reported in Mediterranean. Seen as part of the outer defense for the Black Sea operations.

Sep 8: Romanian Navy Musca-class minesweeper, Lieutenant Dimitrie Nicolescu (29), damaged by a floating mine off Romanian coast. Romanian forces have neutralized several floating mines believed to have broken free from their moorings further north. Attribution unclear.

Sep 21. Ukrainian ‘Magura’ explosive Uncrewed surface vessel (USV) washes up on beach outside Sevastopol. These are popularly called ‘maritime drones’. Russian forces destroy it but otherwise do not appear to react to new threat.

Sep 26: Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines sabotaged in Baltic. Attribution subject to debate.

October 29. Major combined Ukrainian maritime drone (USV) and UAV attack on Sevastopol. Several USVs penetrate the harbour and two warships, the minesweeper Ivan Golubets and frigate Admiral Makarov, are hit by ‘Magura’ USVs. Neither ship is sunk. However Russia withdraws fleet into bases and starts initiating increased defenses.

Artist’s impression of maritime drones attacking Sevastopol. H I Sutton.

Oct 8: Ukraine attacks Kerch Bridge, likely with truck bomb. Both roadway and railway connections broken. Repairs take months and in meantime Russian Navy landing ships increasingly used as transports.
Oct: U.S. Supplied Combat Boats start to be delivered to Ukraine.

Oct: Last remaining SLAVA Class cruiser Varyag and escorts left the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. The ships arrived in Vladivostok in November.

Oct 26: Reports that Russia is attempting to reactivate legacy naval base at Balaklava, south of Sevastopol.

Nov 18: Ukrainian USV attacks Novorossiysk. No significant damage but attack demonstrates range of vessels.

2023

Jan 2023: Small Russian naval base at Feodosiya becomes more important with Kalibr armed Buyan-M corvettes using it.

Jan 11: Russian warships and submarines based at Novorossiysk temporarily evacuated in face of perceived Ukrainian threat. Vessels return.

Jan: Russia sows naval mines in Dnieper River near Kherson, seemingly to defend against Ukrainian river crossings.

Early Feb: Space X, and its founder Elon Musk, say that they will stop Ukraine using their StarLink satellite communications system for long range drones. This may have prevented Ukraine using its explosive USVs near Crimea until an alternative can be found. Russian Navy increases activity of Crimea.

Feb 10: Russia deploys its own explosive USVs, with one targeting the bridge at Zatoka, south of Odesa.

Feb 28: Ukrainian UAV attack on oil facilities at port of Tuapse, north of Sochi. This is notable for its distance from Ukrainian controlled territory and strategic relevance. Russia deploys air defenses there, observed Mar 6.

Mar 4: Russian war supplies continue to be shipped via Bosporus from Tartus to Novorossiysk. MV Sparta IV enters Black Sea.

Mar 22: Ukrainian maritime drones (USVs) and aerial drones (UAVs) attack Sevastopol. Local reports suggest 3 USVs were destroyed. Video evidence suggests that at least one penetrated deep inside the protected harbor.

Mar 22: Ukrainian forces reveal new model of maritime drone (USV)

Mid-April: Russian forces remove privately owned boats in the occupied town of Heniches’k, Kherson Oblast, on the Sea of Azov. Unclear why.

Apr 26: Ukraine reveals ‘Toloka’ family of uncrewed underwater vehicles. Production status unclear.

May 24: Russian intelligence ship Ivan Khurs attacked by three Ukrainian maritime drones, in vicinity 41.883333°, 30.603611°. One almost makes contact but attack unsuccessful. Ship returns to Sevastopol.

Early Jun: Russia increases dolphin pens in Sevastopol Harbor.

Jun 11: Reports from Russian sources claiming that the Black Sea Fleet Vishnya class Intelligence Ship Priazovye, was attacked by several (possibly 6) maritime drones (USVs) in Southeast Black Sea. Later located to vicinity 43.064437°, 36.813334°. All USVs reported destroyed. Interestingly, they report that she was on duty “defending of TurkStream gas pipeline” 300km south-east of Sevastopol. Her claimed reason for being there may be significant and should not be taken at face value.

Jun 18: Russian Sevastopol-designed ‘Sargan’ USV, which is similar to Ukraine’s ‘maritime drones’, displayed at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Summer 2023 Counter-Offensives

Mid-late June: Russian Navy applies deceptive camouflage to warships in Black Sea.

Jul 11: 2 Ropucha class landing ships used in a civilian role ferrying civilian traffic across the Kerch Strait. Continues after Kerch Bridge attack on July 17.

Jul 16: Ukrainian USVs attack Sevastopol. Reportedly none penetrated the harbour. Modified jet skis used. According to Mikhail Razvozhayev’s Telegram channel, 2 were destroyed and another stopped by EW. 5 UAVs also employed. One Ukrainian USV known to have been in vicinity 43.060278°, 36.766944°.

Jul 17: Ukrainian USVs attack Kerch Bridge. Both spans of the road bridge seriously damaged.

Jul 18: Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) expires without renewal when Russia withdraws. Was expected.

Ukrainian SBU Sea Baby USV of the type involved in the Kerch Bridge attack.

Post-Black Sea Grain Initiative

Late-July: Repeated Russian missile and OWA-UAV attacks on Odesa and other Ukrainian controlled ports. High number of KITCHEN and STOOGE missiles noteworthy. Russia also suspected of sowing sea mines near shipping lanes to/from Odesa, possibly from fast jets using suitibly fused air-dropped bombs.

Jul 25: Reportedly, Russian Navy Project 22160 patrol ship ‘Sergey Kotov’ is attacked by two Ukrainian USVs. Attack unsuccessful. Subsequently on July 26 the UK MoD update noted that the ship had been deployed to the southern Black Sea, patrolling the shipping lane between the Bosphorus and Odesa.

Jul 28: Russian MoD prohibits small boats (pleasure boats, sailboats, inflatable boats, jet skis, wind surfers etc) from transiting Kerch Strait.

Jul 31/Aug 1: Russian MoD reports two patrol ships, Sergey Kotov & Vasily Bykov, tasked with “controling navigation” 183 nm SW of Sevastopol, were attacked. Location later determined to be in the vicinity of 42.117219°, 31.229180°. 3 USVs used. Meanwhile grain ships sailing to Odesa without apparent interuption.

Ukrainian maritime drone (USV) lines up an attack on the Russian Navy Ropucha Class landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak, night of August 3-4. The attack inflicted major damage.

Aug 3: Ukrainian USV destroyed by gunfire from Russian HIP helicopter, vicinity 43.060278°, 36.766944°. Possibly part of next day’s attack on Novorossiysk.

Aug 3-4: Russian Navy Ropucha Class landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak struck by Ukrainian maritime drone (USV) outside Novorossiysk. Significant damage. Towed to Novorossiysk.

Aug 5: Russian oil products tanker ‘Sig’ hit by Ukrainian maritime drone (USV) south of Kerch Bridge. Ship significantly damaged.

Aug 13: Russian Patrol Ship Vasily Bykov stopped and boarded the Palau flagged Sukru Okan General Cargo ship in Southern Black Sea as it sailed towards Ukraine. This is the first treported boarding following the termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI).

Aug 14: Floating sea mines wash up at Costinești, near Constanța in Romania. One explodes on pier. Possibly laid by Russia in July.

Aug 16 / 23: Videos of prototypes of AMMO Ukraine’s ‘Marichka’ AUV revealed.

Aug 18: Ukrainian USV attack on Russian arms transport Sparta-IV, escorted by Navy Pr.1135M KRIVAK-II Class frigate Pytlivyy and Pr.22160 Bykov Class patrol ship Vasily Bykov in eastern Black sea. Sparta-IV was returning from a voyage to Tartus in Syria, likely carrying military equipment. Attack unsuccessful.

Aug 22: Engagements near Snake Island. Russian MoD publishes footage of a Ukrainian Willard Sea Force RHIB being attacked from an Su-30SM FLANKER-C.

Aug 24: Cross-beach commando raid by Ukrainian Special Forces on Cape Tarkhankut, western Crimea. The attack was preceded on Aug 23 by a strike on the S-400 air defense system there, reportedly including a Neptunre missile and elements launched from the sea.

Mid-late Aug: Russia begins placing barriers to protect the portion of the Kerch Bridge which was attacked on July 17. Barges sunk on western approach. Bridge repairs continue.

Aug: Dolphin pens appear at the Southern Naval Base at Novoozerne, Crimea.

Aug 30: Russian Black Sea Fleet order roadstead at Balaklava closed to private boats until September 4.

Sep 1: Russian social media Reports that a Ukrainian USV (and possibly UAV) on Kerch Bridge was thwarted. The Pr.1135M KRIVAK-II Class frigate Pytlivyy may have been targeted, or otherwise involved. Unconfirmed.

Aug-Sep 2023: Ukraine lands on and reclaims ‘Boyko Towers’ gas rigs/platforms in Black Sea.

Sep 13: Ukrainian strike on Sevastopol, reportedly with Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles. Pr.775 Ropucha class landing ship Minsk and Pr.636.3 Improved KILO Class submarine Rostov-on-Don (B-237) seriously damaged in dry dock.

Vessels in the dry dock in Sevastopol burning, September 13 2023.

Damage to Improved-KILO Class submarine Rostov-on-Don.

Sep 13-14: Ukrainian USV attacks target Russian tanker Yaz and weapons transport Ursa Major in Black Sea. Russian MoD states that 11 USVs were destroyed, 3 by Pr.22160 Bykov Class patrol ship Vasily Bykov, 3 by naval aviation (likely helicopters) and 5 by Pr.22160 Bykov Class patrol ship Sergey Kotov.

Sep 14: USV attack on Pr.1239 Bora Class missile corvette Samum, reportedly with experimental ‘semi-submersible’ USVs (x2). Subsequently reported that SBU Sea Baby and Mamai USVs had laid seabed mines which the ship, plus a minesweeper, sailed over.

Mid-Late Sep: Increased Ukrainian missile and OWA-UAV (one way attack aerial drones) attacks on Black Sea Fleet targets, including major facilities in Sevastopol on Sep 20 and the main HQ building on Sep 22.

Sept 20: Ukrainian cruise missile strike on Black Sea Fleet installations near Sevastopol.

Sept 20: Togo-flagged merchant ship ‘Seama’ hit by floating mine in Danube anchorage, 12 miles offshore from Sulina area of Romania.

Sept 22: Ukrainian Storm Shadow missiles strike Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol.

Oct: Russian Navy submarine operations moved almost entirely to Novorossiysk. After missile strikes few high-value warships visit Sevastopol and stay only for short periods.

Oct 5: Turkish flagged general cargo ship ‘Kafkametler’ hit a sea mine while waiting outside the entrance to the Sulina Canal, Romania.

Oct 8: Attack on Balticconnector gas pipeline and nearby submarine communication cable (SCC) in Gulf of Finland. Attribution to be confirmed.

Oct 11: Russian Navy Pr.22160 patrol ship ‘Pavel Derzhavin’ reportedly hit Russian mine outside Sevastopol harbour. Unconfirmed.

Oct 13: Ukrainian maritime drones, likely USVs, attack Russian warships outside Sevastopol. Buyan-M corvette reportedly damaged with sources on both sides but no official confirmations.

Oct 16: Liberian flagged tanker ‘Ali Najafov’ coming from Georgia, struck a mine in the region near Bystroe Canal

Oct 24: Russian MoD reports that at about 4 o’clock Moscow time, in the northern part of the Black Sea, 3 unmanned boats of the Ukrainian Navy were detected. Russian forces responded, results unclear.

Oct 25: Ukraine reports that Russian naval aircraft laid ‘explosive devices’ in shipping lane to/from Odesa.

Oct 27: Russian Pr.23040G minesweeper ‘Vladimir Kozitsky’ destroyed by explosion in Sevastopol Bay. Subsequenty attributed to a Ukrainian SBU ‘Sea Baby’ USV.

Nov 4: Brand new Russian Pr.22800 Karakurt class corvette ‘Askold’ struck by Ukrainian missiles at shipyard in Kerch.

Nov 10: Liberian flagged merchant ship KMAX Ruler hit by Russian anti-radiation missile in port of Odesa. The missile was likely a AS-17 KRYPTON (Kh-31).

Nov 10: Ukrainian maritime drones (USVs) operated by HUR hit two Russian Navy landing craft in Chornomors’ke, northern Crimea. 1 x Pr.11770 Serna Class and 1 x Pr.1176 Ondatra Class.

Nov 16: Liberian flagged Merchant ship ‘Georgia S’ struck by floating mine in Northwestern Black Sea.

Nov 22: Ukrainian HUR Magura-5 USV washes up on a beach on the Western side of Crimea. On November 25 Russia releases video footage of Su-30SM FLANKER aircraft strafing a small boat or USV off Crimea.

Nov 27: Powerful storm batters the region, particularly affecting Crimea. Harbor defenses at Sevastopol and barriers at Kerch damaged. Dolphins pens at Sevastopol harbour apparently destroyed, later replaced. Reports of one boat, possibly a Raptor assault boat, sunk.

Dec 5: Panama flagged ship ‘Vyssos’ hit a mine close to the entry to Bystroe channel.

Dec 6: Russian SU-24M FENCER-D strike aircraft shot down over Black Sea near Snake Island, reportedly by a Ukrainian air defense missile (possibly Patriot). This is the first time Ukraine has had the reach to achieve this. This appears to have deterred further Russian minelaying efforts in the Black Sea.

Dec 14: Russian company KMZ reveals its Dandelion USV, which reportedly will be deployed in combat in the Black Sea. The vehicle appears similar to Ukrainian types.

Dec 11-18: Russian Navy adds new boom defenses added to Southern Navy Base in Novoozerne, Crimea.

Dec 24: Ukraine’s SBU reveal the ‘Kozak Mamai’ USV previously used in the attacks on the Ropucha Class landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak and tanker Sig.

Dec 25-26: Ukraine hits Russian Ropucha Class landing ship Novocherkassk in the port of Feodosia, Crimea. Ship caught fire, seriously damaged likely write-off. Initial evidence suggests that she sunk at the pier.

Novocherkassk on fire in Feodosia, December 26 2023

Dec 28-30: Russian Navy Pr.205P STENKA Class patrol boat observed sunken at pier in Sevastopol. Reputedly hit by a Ukrainian USV, see possible related attack below.

Dec 30: Russian appointed Governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported that Russian forces repelled a surface drone 3km from Sevastopol. The USV was apparently destroyed by helicopter. Possibly related to video released on Jan 1 2024 showing SBU ‘Sea Baby’ USVs firing rockets in Sevastopol Bay.

2024

Jan 19: Russia launches a P-35 (SS-N-3B SEPAL) supersonic anti-ship missile against Ukraine for the first time. Possibly launched from a legacy hardened site near Sevastopol.

Jan 24: Ukrainian underwater drone (AUV) project Fury revealed to public.

Jan 31: Ukraine’s HUR attacks Russian Navy TARANTUL Class missile corvette Ivanovets with USVs in vicinity of Lake Donuzlav, Crimea. Vessel sunk.

Jan - Feb: Russian warships in Sevastopol increasingly using camouflage netting to break up their profile. This is in addition to widespread application of ‘deceptive’ camouflage.

Feb 9: Reported attempted attack by 3 or more Ukrainian “Semi-submersible unmanned boats” (USVs) on a Russian “civilian transport ships” in Southwestern Black Sea.

Feb 14: Ukraine’s HUR attacks Russian Navy ROPUCHA Class landing ship Caesar Kunikov with USVs on the southern coast of Crimea. Vessel sunk.

Successful attacks by Ukrainian HUR Group-13 operated USVs on TARANTUL Class missile corvette Ivanovets (left) and ROPUCHA Class landing ship Caesar Kunikov (right).

Feb 15: Reports that the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet (BSF), Admiral Viktor Sokolov, is removed from his post. His deputy, Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, likely takes command. This will be the second change in command of the BSF since the full-scale invasion began.

Mar 4: Ukrainian HUR used USVs to attack Russian Navy Project 22160 Patrol Ship Sergey Kotov in southern approaches to Kerch Bridge. Vessel sinks Mar 5. Four USVs were observed in the Black Sea the previous day by the merchant vessel ‘Ella’, likely the same group.

Mar 6: Ukraine’s SBU reveals the improved Sea Baby USV, with first public vessel named Avdiivka.

Mar 9: Video of likely Lancet strike on Ukrainian Project 1176 landing craft L434 Svatove at Berezans’kyi Liman, Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine.

Mar 10: Reports that head of the Russian Navy, Admiral N.Evmenov, resigned (or was dismissed). Admiral A.Moiseev, head of the Northern Fleet, was promoted in his place.

Mar 11: Ukrainian strike on Russian listening post on a grounded ship on Yanushiv Island, on the southern shore of the Dniprovska Gulf.

Mar: Russian ships of the ‘Syrian Express’ between Tartus and Novorossiysk turn back from Bosporus passage and instead take long way around via Baltic. Subsequently merchant ships heading to Novorossiysk take indirect routes and often avoid AIS.

Mar 17: Russian minister of defense Sergei Shoigu inspects Black Sea Fleet, directing then to increase defenses against maritime drones (USVs).

Mar 18-20: Videos of a Ukrainian boats being struck by a Russian Lancet loitering munition on the Dnieper river. One likely a Project 205P STENKA Class. Results unclear.

Mar 20: Russian Ministry of Defense announces creation of the Dnieper (‘Dnepr’) River Flotilla.

Mar 23: Ukrainian air raid on Sevastopol, Crimea. Reports suggest that three Russian Navy Pr.775 ROPUCHA Class landing ships, Yamal, Azov, and Konstantin Olshanskyi were hit by missiles, plus the Yuri Ivanov class intelligence ship Ivan Khurs. Missiles possibly a mix of Storm Shadow/SCALP and Neptune. Shore infrastructure and air base also hit.

Apr 3: USV discovered in Romanian waters, capsized. It was an AM-800 RHIB with a P-20 STYX warhead. Attributed to Ukraine but unconfirmed.

Apr 7: Ukraine’s HUR claim fire aboard Pr.21631 Buyan-M corvette “Serpukhov” at Baltiysk, Kaliningrad on Baltic, was sabotage.

Apr 21: Ukrainian Neptune missile strike on Russian naval base at Sevastopol in Crimea reportedly damaged the submarine support ship Kommuna.

May 6: Ukrainian HUR used USVs to attack Russian Navy vessels in Chornomors’ke. 1 boat hit.

May 6: Videos shared on Russian social media show a Ukrainian USV armed with AA-11 ARCHER missiles as ‘FrankenSAM’. USV destroyed by fire from helicopter.

May 19: Russian Navy Pr.22800 Karakurt class missile corvette “Tsiklon” destroyed by Ukrainian missiles, likely ATACMS, in Sevastopol. Initial reports misidentified it as a minesweeper.

May 29: Footage of a Ukrainian Magura V5 USV being hit by an FPV drone shared on Russian social media. This is the first evidence of this long-expected tactic.

May 29: Ukrainian ATACMS missiles damage two rail ferries in Kerch. These ferries were used by Russia to ship fuel and ammunition to Crimea to avoid it going over the Kerch Bridge.

May 30: Ukrainian HUR used Magura USVs to attack Russian Navy vessels in Chornomors’ke. 2 KS-701 Tunets boats hit. One Magura was engaged by helicopters. Russian sources also released footage of a Magura being hit by an FPV drone, possibly in a separate mission.

Ukrainian Magura V5 USV being hit by an FPV drone shared on Russian social media

Magura V5 USVs attack Russian vessels at Chornomors’ke. Engaged by a Russian Mi-24 HIND (left), approaching a KS-701 Tunets boat (center), and impact (right).

May - Jun: Russian Navy moves damaged Pr.636.3 Improved KILO Class submarine Rostov-on-Don (B-237) from dry dock in Sevastopol to smaller dock further in the port.

Jun 1: Russian Navy Pr.636.3 Improved KILO Class submarines likely involved in launching Kalibr cruise missiles from Black Sea at targets in Ukraine.

June 6: Ukrainian HUR Magura V5 USVs pass through/over boom defenses at Morskoy Spetsializirovannyy Port, Chernomorsk, and destroy the tug Saturn (Gousan-5).

June 21: Russian sources report the downing of a Ka-29 HELIX-B helicopter while it was engaging Ukrainian USVs. Possibly shot down in red-on-red incident. Suggestion is that Ukraine launched UAVs which caused Russian air defenses to launch, thus engineering the outcome.

July 3: Ukrainian HUR attack on Novorossiysk using Magura USVs.

Julz 12: Imagery circulated on social media by ‘Atesh’ suggests Russian ROPUCHA and ALLIGATOR class landing Ships laid moored naval mines in approaches to Novorossiysk. Unclear what these are intended to defend against.

July 17: Ukrainian SBU attack Russian base at Lake Donuzlav with Mamai USVs. One, possibly more, KS-701 “Tunets” boat was destroyed.

July 23: Attack on Kerch strait ferries by Ukrainian UAVs. The rail ferry “Slavyanin” hit in the port Kavkaz.

July 25: Ukrainian weaponized Yamaha Waverunner FX jet ski found on Turkish beach near Istanbul.

Kursk Phase

Jul - Aug: Russia continues to repeatedly target Ukrainian ports and naval bases, scoring some hits.

Aug 3: Ukraine hits already damaged Russian Navy Pr.636.3 Improved KILO Class submarine Rostov-on-Don (B-237) with an ATACMS in Sevastopol. In days after, a decoy submarine is added to the location. Rostov-on-Don likely still afloat but seriously damaged.

Aug 9-10: Ukrainian USV struck gas platform MSP-17 (МСП-17) at 45.25826°, 31.6733°. Reportedly Russian forces had installed a GPS spoofing or jamming system on the rig. Afterwards the rig remained burning.

Aug 14: Evidence that Russia deployed a decoy KILO Class submarine in Sevastopol next to the wreck of Rostov on Don which was destroyed previously. The decoy was deployed after the submarine was hit.

Aug 16-17: Ukrainian raids on Crimea with USVs and missiles. Ferries at Kerch among the targets.

Aug 22: Ukraine destroys Russian train ferry Conro Trader in the port of Kavkaz, Kerch Strait, with P-360 “Neptune” missile.

Aug 23-24: Russia strikes Snake Island with 4 x AS-4 KITCHEN (X-22) missiles.

Aug 29: Russian strike on Odesa destroyed Ukrainian Navy auxiliary A540 ‘Chygirin’.

Sep 4-5: Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk with USVs.

Sep 11: Russian Su-30 FLANKER jet shot down by Ukrainian HUR with MANPADS east of line of gas platforms in NW Black Sea. The aircraft was highly likely engaged in attacks on the gas platforms with AS-15 KRYPTON missiles.

Sep 11: Grain ship MV Aya hit by Russian AS-4 KITCHEN (X-22) missile in Black Sea, south of Snake Island in Romanian EEZ.

Sep: Russian Navy practices evacuating Novorossiysk in response to Ukrainian air attack. Drills are carried out (at least) on Sep 11 and Sep 14. In the latter literally every ship in the naval port is evacuated.

Sep: Missile attacks on Odesa have been continuing daily. On September 20 the merchant ship Golden Lion is damaged. Russian MoD implies that the ship was supplying arms to Ukraine (which I do not consider credible but mention for completeness). By October it appears likely that the attacks have shifted to include deliberately targeting merchant ships and civilian infrastructure.

Sep: Russian defenses at Kerch Bridge being steadily increased.

Sep-Oct: Iranian arms shipments to Ukraine via Caspian Sea highly likely to have included close range ballistic missiles (CRBM).

Oct 7: Ukraine’s HUR claim to have sabotaged the Russian Navy Pr.12700 Alexandrit Class minehunter Aleksandr Obukhov in Baltic. Propulsion reportedly damaged.

Oct 7: Russian linked ship Newnew Polar Bear breaks the Balticconnector natural gas pipeline and telecommunication cables in the Baltic. This is seen as hybrid warfare by Russia in relation to the war in Ukraine.

Oct 16: Russian MoD releases video showing captured Ukrainian HUR Magura USV being used as a training target for FPV drone crews.

Mid Oct: Russia reportedly using Pacific Fleet LSTs to transport North Korean troops, destined for the war in Ukraine, from North Korea to Russian far east.

Oct 21 or 22: Another gas platform in Black Sea (vicinity 45.34505, 31.86367) observed burning. Rig continues to burn afterwards.

Winter Of Discomfort

Nov 6: Ukrainian ‘Foxbat’ OWA-UAVs attack Russian naval base at Kaspiysk in Black Sea. One impact on the pier observed. 2 x GEPARD Class frigates reportedly lightly damaged in raid . Naval vessels dispersed to open water.

2 screenshots of the same attack from different angles, showing a Ukrainian ‘Foxbat’ OWA-UAV appearing to narrowly miss the TARANTAL Class corvette R-101 Stupinets at Kaspiysk on Nov 6 2024.

Nov 17: Russian linked Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 breaks the BCS East-West Interlink and C-Lion1 fibre-optic cables in the Baltic Sea. This is seen as hybrid warfare by Russia in relation to the war in Ukraine.

Nov 28: Russia increases missile and drone raids on Ukraine reportedly targeting power infrastructure. On the Nov 28 raid 28 Kalibr cruise missiles are launched by the Black Sea Fleet. The number launched suggests 3 warships and 1 submarine involved.

Dec 5-6: Sea Baby marine drones (USVs) operated by Ukraine’s SBU attack Kerch bridge. Attack unsuccessful. Russian forces engage with helicopters, fast jets and assault boats. The Sea Baby’s are seen with remote weapons stations (RWS) for the first time.

Dec 6-7: Ukrainian Navy (VMS ZSU) USVs attack Russian positions on gas platforms in Black Sea. USVs launch FPV drones and lay explosive charges.

Left: Dec 5, Sea Baby USV engages a Russian FLANKER fighter with its onboard machine gun. Right: FPV drone’s eye view of Ukrainian Navy USV as it lifts off to attack a gas platform in Black Sea, Dec 6.

Mid Dec: In Mediterranean, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria leads to Russia withdrawing troops and equipment from the country. The future of the Russian naval base at Tartus is in question. This distracts and disrupts logistics, placing strain on the Russian Navy.

Dec 15: A gale in eastern Black Sea leads to 3 Russian vessels sinking or being written off. 2 tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 are lost resulting in approximately 3,700 tons of oil spill. A floating crane capsized off Yalta on Crimea’s southern coast. The bad weather appears to have caused some of the barge defensive lines at the Kerch Bridge to break. The main boom defenses seem less affected.

Dec 17: A third tanker, Volgoneft 109, experiences a similar emergency on the Sea of Azov side of Kerch, possibly sunk.

Mid-Late Dec: Russian warships absent from port of Tartus, but remain off Syrian coast. 3 landing ships and 2 sealift vessels appear to be heading to Tartus to pick up remaining Russian Forces and equipment.

Dec 23: Russian controlled (ex-Ukrainian) support ship Fedor Uryupin hit by Ukrainian OWA-UAV in Chernomorskoye, northern Crimea. Ship damaged.

Dec 23: Russian government sealift ship Ursa Major suffered 3 explosions in engine room and sank in Western Mediterranean. Ship was carrying large port cranes with declared destination of Vladivostok. Likely the result of sabotage.

Dec 25: Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ tanker Eagle S damages the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia. Together with the outwardly similar Newnew Polar Bear and Yi Peng 3 incidents this is widely seen as confirmation of a deliberate hybrid warfare by Russia in relation to the war in Ukraine.

Dec 26: Finnish authorities board Cook Island flagged tanker Eagle S (IMO: 9329760) on suspicion of deliberately attacking an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia the previous day. Should be viewed in context of hybrid warfare.

Dec 31: Ukrainian HUR Magura uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) down two helicopter with an AA-11 ARCHER ‘Sea Dragon’ missiles and damage a third. This is the first time in history that a USV has shot down an aircraft in combat.

2025

Early Jan: Following the loss of Tartus naval base in Syria, Russia withdraws its KILO Class submarine from the Mediterrean. Some warships still present outside Tartus. Sealift ship Sparta waiting outside port to pick up military equipment. By late January the equipment has largely been retrieved and the entire fleet vacates the Mediterrean.

Jan 6: Ukrainian Navy (VMS ZSU) USVs use FPV drones to destroy 3 Russian air defense systems near Skadovs’k, north of Crimea.

Jan 22: United Kingdom announces the development of two new USV types for Ukraine. The Wasp and Snapper.

Late Jan: Small boat actions on the Dnipro River continue, including the use of shallow-water mines.

Jan- Feb: increased European focus on restricting Russian Shadow Fleet, with focus on Baltic.

Feb 8-9: Antigua Barbuda flagged oil tanker Koala (IMO: 9234642) reportedly hit with 3 limpet mines in Ust-Luga outside St. Petersburg, Russia on the Baltic Sea.

Feb 14: Greek linked tanker Seajewel (IMO: 9388807) struck by limpet mines off Savona. Linked ship Searcharm (IMO: 9773765) previously hit in similar fashion. Attacks unattributed but linked to war in Ukraine.

Mar 1: Russian ballistic missiles, likely Iskander, target civilian cargo vessels docked in Odesa. Some damage sustained by MV Levante F.

Mar 8: Ukrainian strikes on coastal targets continue. Ukrainian ‘Seawolf’ uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) use FPV drones to strike Russian air defence vehicles in Crimea.

Mar 18: Ukraine’s HUR released compiled imagery of strikes coastal targets on Crimea with FPV drones launched from uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

The insincere peace talks phase

Mar: Attempts by United States to broker a ceasefire, including one in the Black Sea, falter. No change. Russia increases intensity of attacks on Ukraine including Kalibr cruise missile launches, possibly from submarines (which are observed deployed more than warships).

Late Mar: Russia increases anti-USV defenses at shipyard in Kerch where an Pr.23900 IVAN ROGOV class amphibious carrier (LHD) is under construction.

Apr 23: Russian warships in Novorossiysk observed dispersing to defend against air attack. Ships return later.

Apr 26: Russian forces seize a scientific research buoy in Baltic. The buoy belonged to Institute of Marine Systems at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia.

May 2: Ukraine’s HUR shoot down an Su-30 FLANKER fighter near Novorossiysk with a Sidewinder missile launched from a Magura V7 USV.

May 3: A second FLANKER is shot down. Fewer details, but likely by an SBU operated Sea Wolf USV west of Crimea using an AA-11 ARCHER missile.

May 9: Russia holds victory day parade in Moscow.

May 10: Russian oceanographic ship ‘Atlantis’ (K-1704 ‘Atlantida’, IMO 8607000), operating with the Russian Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo), was attacked off Mozambique on Africa’s eastern coast. Likely unrelated to Ukraine War

Mid May: European states continue to disrupt the operations of Russia’s ‘Shadow fleet’, with Russia escalating threats of military action. On May 13 Estonia attempted to board an unflagged shadow fleet vessel, Jaguar, but Russia responded by buzzing law enforcement vessel with a FLANKER fighter. On May 18 Russia detained the Greek-owned Liberian-flagged oil tanker Green Admire (later released).

May 18: Ukraine’s SBU struck a Russian radar system and an ammunition cache on the gas platforms in the Black Sea using UAVs and USVs.

May: Russian strikes on Odesa port continue. On May 23 an Iskander missile strike on the Container Terminal Odessa (CTO) killed 3 people.

Early Jun: Fighting over the gas platforms in the NW Black Sea continues, with Ukraine using USVs to launch FPV drones to strike Russian attempts to reestablish surveillance devices.

Jun 3: Ukraine’s SBU attack the Kerch bridge, targeting the southern main support pillar on the road bridge with an underwater explosion.

Security camera image of the June 3 attack on the Kerch Bridge

Early Jun: Fighting continues on the gas platforms in NW Black Sea as Russia attempts to maintain surveillance equipment on them. Repeated strikes by Ukrainian USVs and drones.

Mid Jun: Russian shadow fleet tankers begin running stateless. Russian Navy corvette ‘Boykiy’ escorted stateless sanctioned oil tankers through European waters and the English Channel.

Jun 27: Suezmax tanker Vilamoura (IMO: 9529293) damaged by suspected limpet mine attack off Libyan coast. Likely related to war in Ukraine.

Jul 6: Overnight attack on Novorossiysk by Ukrainian aerial and surface drones (OWA-UAVs & USVs). Also ongoing reports of Ukrainian USV activity off NW Crimea.

Jul 6: Ukrainian Navy Day. Meanwhile there are reports that Russia will cancel its Navy Day parade in St Petersburg on July 27 due to security concerns.

Aug 7: Russian Navy Pr.21631 Buyan-M corvette ‘Vyshny Volochek’ reportedly collided with a civilian tanker in Temryuk Bay of the Sea of Azov, resulting in significant damage.

Aug 14: Ukrainian special operations forces sink Russian weapons transport Port of Olya 4 (IMO 9481934, MMSI 273390550) at Olya Port near Astrakhan in the Volga Delta using OWA-UAVs.

Aug 28: Ukraine’s HUR strike a Russian Navy Pr.21631 Buyan-M missile corvette in the Sea of Azov with two FPV-style drones (UAVs). One hit the masts, the other the door area of the bridge. Vessel likely damaged.

UAV camera view of approach on Russian Buyan-M in Sea of Azov, Aug 28 2025

Aug 28: Russian surface drone (USV) strikes and sinks Ukrainian Pr.502EM Laguna Class Intelligence ship (AGI) Simferopol on Danube River.

USV camera view of approach on Ukrainian Intelligence ship Simferopol, Aug 28 2025

Sep 1: Ukrainian aerial drones hit Russian Project 705BM harbor tug RB-371 in Crimea. 2 Mi-8 HIP helicopters also hit at Hvardiiske near Simferopol.

Sep 9: Ukraine’s HUR struck the Russian Navy rescue ship MPSV07 with an FPV drone near Novorossiysk. Ship hit in vicinity of additional antennas added above bridge.

Sep 12: Two oil tankers hit by Ukrainian drones at Transneft Oil Terminal, Primorsk, just outside St. Petersburg. CAI YUN, Oil Products Tanker, IMO: 9437983, and KUSTO, Crude Oil Tanker, IMO: 9308833.

Sep: Ukrainian USVs including Magura V6 and Seawolf participate in the NATO exercise ‘REPMUS25’ in Portugal. Reeports indicate that the Ukrainian Navy led the OPFOR (oposing forces) for REPMUS25 and the larger Dynamic Messenger 25 exercises.

Sep 19: Ukrainian Toloka TLK-1000 XLUUV unveiled t the Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025 exhibition in Lviv.

Sep 22: Ukrainian fixed wing FPV drones operated by HUR, likely launched from USVs, strike two Be-12 MAIL flying boats and a Mi-8 HIP helicopter on Crimea.

Sep 24: Ukrainian USVs, likely Seawolf type, attack oil export infrastructure in Tuapse and Novorossiysk.

Sep: Drone overflights of Denmark and Norway increase, with suspicion that the drones are being launched from Russian-linked merchant ships as part of a hybrid warfare strategy.

Oct 4: Ukrainian Special Operations forces report that they hit a Pr.21631 Buyan-M class missile corvette ‘Grad’ (575) on Lake Onega, northeast of St. Petersburg. The ship was reportedly damaged. Lake Onega is part of the inland waterways connecting Baltic, Arctic, Caspian and Black Sea.

Oct 7: Ukrainian Navy reveales RK-360L Neptune-D long range missile.

Oct: Ukrainian EOD divers neutralise a Russian KAB-500 glide-bomb bottom mine.

Oct 24: Video released by Ukraine shows a Russian Project 02510 (‘BK-16;) assault boat being hit by a drone, likely in Crimea.

Tanker Wars

Early Nov: Ukraine increases strikes on oil export infrastructure in Tuapse and Novorossiysk.

Nov 17: Russian drone strikes a Turkish LPG tanker, Orinda (IMO 9240122) in Izmail, Ukraine.

The attack on the Kairos and Virat, conducted by USVs from the SBU.

The stricken shadow fleet tanker Mersin, off Western Africa.

Nov 28: Two Russian shadow fleet tankers, Kairos (IMO 9819882) and Virat (IMO 9832559) struck by Ukrainian SBU ‘Sea Baby’ USVs in southern Black Sea. The vessels wee unloaded and heading towards Novorsyssk. Both vessels seriously damaged, particularly Kairos. Kairos later washes up on Bulgarian shore.

Nov 28: Russian shadow fleet tanker Mersin (IMO 9428683) struck off Senegal in Western Africa after delivering oil from Black Sea. Cause likely multiple limpet mines attached to both sides of hull. Turkish ship operator subsequently withdrew from Russian market.

Dec 2: Russian tanker Midvolga-2 (IMO 9735139) damaged by a OWA-UAV in the Black Sea off the Turkish coast. Ukraine denied reports that it was a Ukrainian drone.

Dec 10: Ukraine arrests an unnamed merchant vessel in Odesa. According to reports, the vessel had transported nearly 7,000 tons of grain from Crimea to North Africa in January 2021.

Dec 11: Ukrainian ‘Sea Baby’ USVs operated by the SBU strike the Russian shadow fleet tanker Dashan (IMO: 9299666) in the Black Sea. The ship was sailing towards Novorossiysk. At least four USVs impacted the stern, disabling the ship.

The attack on the Dashan, conducted by USVs from the SBU.

Dec 12: Ukrainian drones hit two Russian oil rigs, Filanovsky and Korchagin, in the Caspian Sea.

Dec 12: Reports that Ukraine had struck two Russian flagged ships in the Caspian Sea, the Kompozitor Rakhmaninov and the Askar-Saridzha. The vessels were involved in weapons shipments from Iran.

Dec 12: Turkish car ferry Cenk T (IMO: 7528635) catches fire after being hit by a Russian missile, possibly an Iskander. A Geran-II (Shahed-136) OWA-UAV was filmed shortly before impact but does not appear to be what hit the vessel.

Dec 13: Drone strike on Turkish linked ship Viva (IMO 9156539) in Black Sea. Footage of the aftermath shows the distinctive four-cylinder engine used in the Russian Geran-II OWA-UAV.

Dec 15: Ukraine’s SBU strike Russian Navy KILO class submarine in Novorossiysk, likely with an underwater drone.

Dec 19: Ukraine’s SBU strike the Russian shadow fleet tanker Qendil (IMO 9310525) in Mediterranean Sea using aerial drones (UAVs).

Dec 19: Ukraine strikes Russian gas platforms in Caspian Sea with UAVs.

Dec 19: Russian FSB border guard Pr.22460 Rubin-class patrol boat Rasul Gamzatov (511) hit by Ukrainian UAVs in Caspian Sea.

Jan 8 2026: Palau-flagged tanker Elbus (IMO: 9290385) heading to Novorossiysk hit by aerial drone off Turkish coast in Black Sea.

Jan 9: Russian drones hit two merchant ships off Odesa coast. Ladonna (IMO: 9107033) and Wael K (IMO: 9001148)

Jan 11: Ukrainian drones hit Russian Filanovsky, Korchagin, and Grayfer oil platforms in the Caspian Sea.

Jan 11: Russian drones hit merchant ships Wael K (IMO: 9001148) and Ladonna (IMO: 9107033) off Odesa coast.

Jan 12: Russia continues targeting merchant ships both in harbour and at sea with drones. Several ships hit including Ata Voyager (IMO: 9408360) and Blue Bead (IMO: 9171113), the latter with a BM-35 or similar UAV.

Jan 13: Russian sources report drones attacked 4 tankers in the Black Sea near Novorossiysk. Delta Harmony (IMO: 9408463), Matilda (IMO: 9407457), Freud (IMO: 9804461) and Delta Supreme (IMO: 9585895)

Feb 13: Russian BK-17 assault boat reportedly destroyed by Ukrainian forces in Western Crimea.

Feb 21: One, possibly two, Russian Pr.22460 Rubin class FSB patrol ship hit by guided drone (possibly FP-1/2) deep in Sevastopol Harbour. Three Rubin class vessels had been berthed there for some time.

Ukrainian Initiative

Mar 3: Sanctioned Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz (IMO: 9243148) sunk by USVs east of Malta in Mediterranean.

Mar 3: Large-scale Ukrainian drone srike on Novorossiysk damaged four Russian naval vessels: The Pr.11356M GRIGORVICH Class frigate Admiral Essen, Pr.66ME NATYA Class Seagoing Minesweeper Valentin Pikul, and the Pr.1124M GRISHA-III class ASW corvettes Yeysk and Kasimov.

Mar 4: Ukrainian Navy USVs struck Russian forces on the Syvash gas platform in the northwest Black Sea. A Ka-27 HELIX helicopter was desroyed as it landed aboard the platform by an FPV drone.

Mar 7: Ukrainian drone strikes on Crimea include strikes on Russian small boats. Pr.03160 Raptor class assault boat destroyed on Lake Donuzlav.

Mar 9: BK-16 struck in Novoozerne. Possibly same as March 7 event.

Mar 13: Greek flagged tanker Maran Homer (IMO: 9761372) struck off Novorossiysk

Mar 14: Ukraine struck 2 Russian railway ferries, Slavyanin (IMO: 8300169) and Avangard (IMO 9522403) operating across the Kerch Strait

Mar 23: Major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian port of Primorsk near St. Petersburg.

Mar 24: Ukrainian strikes on high-value targets behind the front lines continue, including on Crimea. A SS-C-5 STOOGE (K-300P Bastion-P which fires P800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship / land-attack cruise missiles) was destroyed.

Mar 25: Ukrainian drones hit the Pr.23550 arctic patrol ship Purga (475) in Vyborg near St. Petersburg. Ship sunk and capsized at the quay. No apparent attempts to salvage it.

Pr.23550 arctic patrol ship Purga (475) sunk in Vyborg

Late Mar / early Apr: Major Ukrainian drone strike on Russian port of Urst Luga near St. Petersburg.

Early Apr: Russian Navy increasingly present in Tartus, Syria, again.

Apr 5: Major Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk. Oil facilities hit. A Pr.11356M GRIGORVICH Class frigate, likerly Admiral Essen, was hit by likely FP-1 type drones.

Ukrainian attack on oil facilities at Novorossiysk, Apr 5

Apr 5: Ukrainian missiles, aerial drones (OWA-UAVs) and surface drones (USVs) strike Syvash (SIVASH IMO: 8763385) jack-up drilling rig in North West Black Sea.

Ap 6: A Russian cargo ship struck in the Sea of Azov after being attacked by Ukrainian UAVs. Ship abandoned, likely destroyed or sunk.

Apr 7: Ukrainian government, reportedly SBU, arrested a ‘shadow fleet’ vessel tied to illegal exports from occupied Crimea, in Odesa.

Apr 10: Ukraine struck two Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea with multiple OWA-UAVs.

Apr 14: Bulk Carriert ship Lady Maris (MO: 9228071) hit by Russian aerial drone (OWA-UAV) in Odesa port.

Apr 19: Ukrainian OWA-UAVs strike the Pr.775 ROPUCHA Class landing ship Yamal and Pr.1171 ALLIGATOR class landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov in Sevastopol. Reports suggest several other ships also hit in same or earlier raids around that time including Pr.775M ROPUCHA-II Class landing ship Azov, Pr.775 ROPUCHA Class landing ship Konstantin Olshansky, and Pr.1288.4 Intelligence ship Slavutychm and an unnamed FSB border service Pr.22460 patrol ship.

Mid Apr: Repeated strikes on oil facilities at port of Tuapse by Ukrainian OWA-UAVs.

Apr 22: St. Kitts & Nevis flagged bulk carrier SMS Carrera (IMO 9140528) struck by twoRussian UAVs in southern Black Sea. Ship continued voyage.

Apr 23: Ukrainian Navy releases video of a Russian USV being destroyed off Odesa.

Apr 25/26: Major Ukrainian strikes on Sevastopol with OWA-UAVs. Among reported targets hit are the Pr.775 ROPUCHA Class landing ship Yamal and Pr.1171 ALLIGATOR class landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov which were hit a few days prior. The Pr.18280 Yuri Ivanov class intelligence ship Ivan Khurs was also reportedly hit. This ship also has been struck in port previously.

Apr 29: Two Ukrainian USVs hit the tanker Marquise (IMO 9315745) around 210 km southeast of Tuapse. The attack was in the context of ongoing extensive strikes on Tuapse.

Apr 30: Ukrainian USVs attacked Russian ships guarding the Kerch Bridge. A Pr.12200 Sobol Class FSB patrol boat and Pr.21980 Grachonok class anti-sabotage boat were damaged.

May 3: Ukrainian UAV hit a Pr.22800 Karakurt Class corvette, likely Amur (803), during a strike on oil facilities at Primorsk, Baltic.

May 3: Two Russian linked tankers hit by Ukrainian USVs outside Novorossiysk.

May 5: Ukrainian OWA-UAVs hit 3 Russian Pr.05060 assault boats and a support vessel duriong raids on Northern Crimea.

May 5: Russian USVs strike Odesa. Patrol boat(s) and merchant ship(s) hit. Aa Russian Navy uncrewed surface vessel (USV) destroyed by Ukrainian FPV drone off Odesa coast.

May 7: Ukrainian OWA-UAVs hit Russian Navy Pr.22800 Karakurt Class corvette in Kaspiysk on the Caspian Sea.

May 8: Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessel (USV) armed with a ram-charge warhead found in sea cave on Greek Island of Lefkada in Mediterranean.

May 14: Russian cargo ship carrying ammunition hit by at least 3 Ukrainian OWA-UAVs in the port of Berdiansk.

May 15: Russian Navy Be-200 jet-powered amphibian and Ka-27 HELIX helicopter at Yeysk air base among targets destroyed by Ukrainian OWA-UAVs.

May 15: Ukrainian OWA-UAvs hit a small missile boat and a minesweeper at the Russian naval base in Kaspiysk on the Caspian Sea.

May 17: Russian Navy Pr.10410 Svetlyak-class patrol boat hit by Ukrainian FP-1 or FP-2 OWA-UAV while underway in Caspian Sea.

May 18: Russian Shahed OWA-USV hit Chinese linked bulk carrier merchant ship KSL Deyang (IMO: 9457725) near Odesa.

May 23: Major Ukrainian strikes on Novorossiysk. Oil facilities hit. Warships in the naval harbour also attacked. Russian shadow fleet tanker Chrysalis (IMO 9437684) hit off Novorossiysk.

May 25: 4 limpet mines found on Russian linked LPG tanker Arrhenius (IMO: 9471032) as it arrives at Ust-Luga port outside St. Petersburg in the Baltic.

May 28: 3 Russian-linked tankers attacked by USVs in southern Black Sea near the entrance to the Bosporus. Tanker James II (IMO: 9253909) struck, tanker Velora (IMO: 9290373) hit but the USVs failed to explode, and Altura (IMO: 9292199) damaged.

Ukrainian drone’s-eye view of the attack on 2 Tu-142 BEAR aircraft, May 30.

May 30: Russian oil products tanker hit in Taganrog on the Sea of Azov. Two maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) - a Tu-142MR BEAR-J communications relay aircraft and a Tu-142M BEAR-F anti-submarine warfare aircraft, were destroyed at the nearby air base.

The Summer Of Long Range Strike

Jun 1: France arrests false-flagged shadow fleet tanker Tagor (IMO: 9282481) sailing from Russia.

Jun 3: Russian Navy Pr.20380 Steregushchiy class corvet Boikiy hit by at least two Ukrainian OWA-UAVs in dry dock at Kronstadt, St. Petersurg. Significant damage.

Jun 4: Russian Pr.10410 Svetlyak class patrol patrol ship was struck by a Ukrainian FP-2 OWA-UAV off Yurkine, Sea of Azov.

Jun 4: Swedish authorities seize Russuan linked shadow fleet cargo vessel Caffa (IMO: 9143611). Reports indicate that it may be handed over to Ukraine.

Jun 5: Ukrainian OWA-UAVs struck 5 russian-linked merchant vessels in Mariupol, Berdiansk and offshore in Sea of Azov. Two vessels identified as Natra (IMO 8729975) and Circon (IMO 8887519).

Jun 6: Ukrainian strikes on Kronstadt naval base. The marine plant and arsenal were hit.

Jun 6: Russian Geran (Shahed) OWA-UAV strikes Ukrainian Patrol-24 rescue vessel SAR-7 at sea. Vessel’s superstructure destroyed.

Jun 8: Russian shadow fleet tanker Caroline Bezengi (IMO 9224439) attacked off Yemen, rteportedly by sabotage. Limpet mine attack unconfirmed.

Jun 11: Ukrainian OWA-UAV operations in Sea of Azov include strikes on a tug boast and critical infrastructure.

Jun 14: British forces intercept a Russian shadow fleet tanker, the Smyrtos (MO: 9389100), for the first time in English Channel.

Mid-late Jun: Ukrainian campaign on logistics routes and critical infrastructure into and out of Crimea include numerous OWA-UAV strikes on coastal targets including around Kerch.

Mid-late Jun: Russian USV operations increasing in northwestern Black Sea, likely launched from Chornomors’ke area of Crimea.

Jun 22: Russian OWA-UAVs hit three merchant ships off Odesa coast. Victress (IMO: 9030498) confirmed, Searena (IMO: 9250567) probable, Ganosaya (IMO: 9151400) probable.

Jun 24: Russian sources report that Ukrainian USVs are being used to launch quadcopter FPV drones which actively hunt Russian mobile air defence teams in Crimea, in support of the Ukrainian mid-range strike campaign.

Jun 26: Ukrainian SBU raid on the Zaliv shiupyard near Kerch struck two Russian Pr.15310 cable-laying vessels Volga and Vyatka with OWA-UAVs. The CNF22 cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk was also hit.

Jul 4: Ukrainian Navy (VMS-ZSU) reveals presence of NSM missiles, together with Harpoon, Neptune and RBS-15 missiles during display in Odesa. Seawolf USVs and an unnamed large AUV also shown.

Operation MOLOCHKA

Jul 6: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) campaign against fuel logistics in Crimea and southeastern Ukraine begins to focus on products tankers in Sea of Azov area. Campaign later reportedly name ‘MOLOCHKA’ meaning ‘Moscow will fall because of Crimea’. 2 tankers hit by OWA-UAVs: Captain Barmin & Sanar-3

Jul 7: Ukrainian campaign against fuel logistics in Sea of Azov: 8 tankers, 1 cargo ship, and 1 ferry hit by OWA-UAVs: Venera-3, Sanar-1, Sanar-17, Klimena, Teti, Aleksey Savrasov, Penelopa, Ivan Cheremisinov, plus an unnamed Cargo ship, and the Kerch ferry SKS One.

Jul 7: Ukraine’s SBU used Sea Baby USVs to strike the shadow fleet tanker Blue (IMO: 9236353) in Black Sea. Ship disabled, towed to Turkey.

Ukrainian drones, mostly FP-1/2 (left), struck a large number of fuel tankers and other logistics ships in Sea of Azov. Russian Su-34 FULLBACK aircraft (right) attempted to intercept the drones, with little apparent success.

Jul 8: Ukrainian campaign against fuel logistics in Sea of Azov, operation MOLOCHKA: 5 tankers and 4 cargo vessels hit by OWA-UAVs: Tankers Efrosinya V, Maria, Sanar-17 (hit again), Sanar-4, Klimena (hit again), and cargo ships Donstar, Vladimir Yarygin, Feofan Shokhirev, and Evgeniya Z.

Jul 9: Ukrainian campaign against fuel logistics in Sea of Azov, operation MOLOCHKA: 12 tankers, 1 cargo ship, and 1 tugboat hit by OWA-UAVs: Tankers Chelsea-6, Aura, Sonar-1, Ilya Repin, Merkuriy, Galiaskar Kamal, Venera-3, Penelopa, plus the tug boat Alfeo. The names of the other five vessels was not reported.

Jul 10: Russian fuel tankers in Sea of Azov begin to have drone nets. Does not appear successful against OWA-UAVs.

Jul 10: Reports that Russia stopped passages throuugh Don-Azov Channel and stopped accepting Kerch Strait passage requests.

Jul 10-12: Further Ukrainian strikes on fuel tankers and other logistics vessels in Sea of Avox with OWA-UAVs.

Jul 12: Ukrainian campaign against fuel logistics in Sea of Azov, operation MOLOCHKA: 7 tankers, 5 cargo ships, 2 tugboats and 1 ferry hit.

Jul 13: A transport USV operated by Ukraine’s 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade lands an uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) on Kinburn Spit. Likely the first time in history a USV has deployed a UGV.

Jul 13: Russian OWA-UAV reportedly struck a merchant ship in Odesa.

Jul 13: Ukrainian campaign against fuel logistics in Sea of Azov, operation MOLOCHKA: 5 tankers, 5 cargo ships, and 1 tugboat.

Jul 14: Russian jet-powered strike drone (OWA-UAV) struck Tanzanian flagged cargo vessel Atlas Bey (IMO: 8302404) off the coast of Odesa. A second merchant ship was also reportedly hit near Odesa.

Russian Rubin Class FSB patrol ship sunk 14th July, 44.5648°, 37.9928°.

Jul 14: Ukrainian Navy (VMS-ZSU) destroy Russian FSB Pr.22460 Rubin Class patrol ship ‘Izumrud’ with a Sargan-3000 USV in the small harbour outside Gelendzhik.

Jul 15: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 20 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA. Breakdown not reported.

Jul 15: Russia struck a merchant vessel in Chernomorsk with Geran-4 (Shahed) ‘Seeker’ jet-powered OWA-UAVs. Also two ships at Dnepro-Bugskiy in Galitsynovo of Nikolayev region.

Jul 16: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 11 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA: 5 oil tankers, 1 oil products tanker, 3 cargo vessels, 2 tugboats. Sea of Azov/Black Sea breakdown not reported.

Jul 16: Russian Geran-2 (Shahed) OWA-UAV hit a cargo ship sailing to Chernomorsk.

Jul 17: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 12 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA: 1 oil tankers, 1 oil products tanker, 9 cargo vessels, 1 tugboats. Sea of Azov/Black Sea breakdown not reported.

Jul 17: Russian Geran-4 (Shahed) ‘Seeker’ jet-powered OWA-UAVs attacked three cargo ships in Nikolayev

Jul 18: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 13 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA. In Sea of Azov: 1 oil tanker, 8 cargo ships. In Black Sea: 1 oil products tanker. 2 cranes & 1 tugboat.

Jul 18: Ukrainian SBU strikes shadow fleet tanker Avero (IMO: 9250737) with a Kozak Mamai USV in Black Sea.

Jul 18: Oil tanker Nordic Zenith (IMO 9588469) hit by likely-Ukrainian OWA-UAV sailing from Novorossiysk.

Jul 18: Russian MoD reports its OWA-UAVs strike a vessel Chernomorsk and attack a vessel near Snake Island.

Mid Jul: Russian Navy Baltic-based Pr.22800 Karakurt Class missile corvettes Mytishchi and Burya observed with dazzle camouflage schemes.

Jul 19: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 4 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA. Breakdown not reported.

Jul 19: Russian aircraft strike the Guinea Bissau-flagged grain ship Golden Leo (IMO 9181833) off Odesa, reportedly with AS-13 KINGBOLT (Kh-59) or AS-22 KAZOO (Kh-69) air-launched cruise missiles. Vessel sunk Jul 26.

Jul 20: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 7 vessels as part of Operation MOLOCHKA: 3 oil tankers, 4 cargo vessels. Sea of Azov/Black Sea breakdown not reported.

Jul 21: Liberian-flagged LPG Gas Lisbon exploded about 37km off Romanian coast. Reports suggest Russian OWA-UAVs responsible.

Jul 24. Russian bulk carrier New Victory (IMO 9159050) hit by Ukrainian FP-1 OWA-UAVs in Black Sea.

Jul 25: Ukrainian drone (OWA-UAV) strikes in Caspian hit 2 sanctioned arms transports, Port Olya 2 (IMO: 9481881) and_ Begey_ (IMO: 8943210). Oil platforms & 1 x Pr.1241 TARANTUL Class missile boat also reportedly hit. Subsequent reporting indicates that Iranian vessel ‘Zereh’ also hit with one casualty. Iran protests.

Jul 25: Palau-flagged merchant vessel AGN Ragnar (IMO 9148104) struck by Russian drones (OWA-UAV) off Danube. Russian MoD also reports strikes on vessels in Nikolayev Port with Geran-4 ‘Seeker’ jet-powerred OWA-UAVs.

Jul 25: Reports that the US Government warned Ukraine against striking Non-Russian vessels sailing to-from Russian ports.

Jul 26: Russian Navy Day. Traditional parades cancelled.

Jul 26: Russian MoD reports its OWA-UAVs struck a vessel off Odesa and 2 vessels in Dnieper-Bug estuary

Jul 27: Russian MoD reports its OWA-UAVs strike a vessel in Nikolayev

Aug 3: Cameroon flagged Ro-Ro ship NADEZHDA (IMO: 7702657) hit in Black Sea off Novorossiysk by Ukrainian OWA-UAV.

Early Aug: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) reported hitting 12 shadow fleet vessels in Black Sea / Sea of Azov from 1st -8th August.

Early Aug: Novel camouflage, anti-drone nets, hanging anti-USV defences and sandbags observed on Russian Navy vessels and shadow fleet/Russian merchant vessels in Black Sea and Baltic. General cargo vessel Mechta S (IMO: 8419659) observed with full camouflage scheme.

Aug 10: Two shadow-fleet vessels hit in Black Sea

Aug 10: Ukraine agrees to not attack non-Russian flagged tankers in the Black Sea heading to/from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk, and not carrying Ruissian oil.

Aug 12: Ukrainian OWA-UAV and missile strike on Novorossiysk reportedly hits four warships. Strikes on Pr.11356R GRIGOROVICH Class frigates Admiral Marakov and Admiral Essen confirmed. Vessels damaged.

Aug 17: Ukrainian OWA-UAVs strike Greek-linked tanker Skiros (IMO: 9390628) off Novorossiysk after loading Russian oil at Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal.

Aug 17: Russian LNG tanker Portovyy (IMO 9246621) departed Baltic loading with LNG, heading to far east via North Sea Route (NSR). Likely a new route to avoid Ukrainian USV threat.

Aug 20: Russian surface drone (USV) found off the coast of Romania, drifting close to the Neptun Alpha drilling platform. Destroyed by Romanian forces.

Aug 24: Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) reported hitting a Russian shadow fleet tanker and a bulk carrier in the #Black_Sea.

Sep 17. Reports Russia struck a Tanzanian-flagged civilian vessel with a OWA-UAV in the Black Sea.

Oct 5. Merchant ship Royad Mammadov (IMO 9356969), carrying Ukrainian grain to Italy, hit by likely Russian OWA-UAV off Romanian coast.

Oct 5. Russia struck two merchant ships in the Bulgarian EEZ with OWA-UAVs. The general cargo ships Able (IMO 9001136) and Alfa Watan (IM: 7510884) were hit.

Oct 6. Russian shadow fleet oil tanker Aframax Rio (IMO 9273844) struck by a USV off Sochi. Large burning oil slick visible from shore.

…To be continued.

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CLICK to Enlarge

China is building a new form of drone mothership, one large enough and specially shaped and equipped, to carry drone submarines. The vessel is under construction at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai.

The size and configuration points to the carriage of full-sized uncrewed submarines. Termed XXLUUVs (extra-extra large uncrewed underwater vehicles), the ones observed in China are around 35-45 meters long.

I gave a talk on Chinese submarine and XXLUUV developments a few months ago where I suggested that the construction of special floating docks would be a leading indicator of the operationalisation of China’s uncrewed submarine program. And now here we are.

Click to Enlarge. Satelite imagery from Vantor Technologies, shared online by ‘KAROTASU’ (@type36512) on Twitter.

Mothership for Uncrewed Submarines

The vessel fills a clear need. Larger UUVs start needing port infrastructure to support them, they become much less convenient to move around. With smaller UUVs, even up to 20 meters like the AJX-002 and HSU-100 paraded in Beijing last year, they are road mobile. Truck mounted cranes should be sufficient for getting them in and out of the water making operations much simpler. With these latest, much larger XXLUUVs however, China will start to need dedicated port facilities. This mothership is likely a major part of the solution.

Until now China has been using floating docks to house the two XXLUUV prototypes being tested on Hainan. One of these docks was purpose built while the other may have been taken up from general use. These keep the vessels out of the water for maintenance and allow them to be moved well outside the port before being launched or recovered. This latter arrangement must greatly simplify testing, avoiding operating the uncrewed vessels in close proximity to other ships and port obstacles. However this arrangement also has a significant drawback: each floating dock can only carry a single XXLUUV. Or if more than one, then they both need to be placed in the water at the same time. Because the whole dock floods, there cannot be one undergoing maintenance while another is being launched or recovered.

The new mothership solves this by having a dry hangar for stowage and maintenance, and a separate lifting well for launch and recovery. Based on the relative sizes, the hangar can accommodate 2-4 XXLUUVs (or many more smaller XLUUVs), while the lifting cradle in the well deck can accommodate one at a time.

Well Deck

The well deck is at the stern, similar to on a landing ship dock (LPD), but without a bottom to it. Instead it has a cradle platform which can be lifted in and out of the water on 12 vertical jack-up arms. The well deck is around 55 meters long, which is one of the factors pointing to XXLUUVs open bottom: it’s much larger than necessary for any rescue or research submersibles.

The open well deck is a useful identification feature. The resulting keel block arrangement this creates can be seen in satellite imagery even before any sections of the actual ship have been assembled. And the jack-up arms protrude above the box-like hull.

The dry hangar is forward and positioned above the waterline. It is around 95x17 meters and several (many) decks high. The rest of the ship is built around these spaces. The superstructure is well forward, creating an overall box-like ship generally resembling a very large RO-RO ferry.

The vertical lifting cradle is unique. A conceptually identical arrangement has been seen on a proposed Chinese scientific research mothership, but on a smaller scale. Similar Jack-up legs have also become characteristic of China’s innovative mobile harbours.

An essentially similar concept, but on a smaller scale and without the covered hangar, was talked about in 2025 as part of the ‘Cold Seep Ecosystem Research Facility’, a ‘National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure’.

Other Submarine Motherships

There have been other submarines motherships, particularly during the early days in the 1900s. The French special cargo ship SS Kanguroo was built in 1912 for delivering submarines to export customers. She had a gangster inside with a bow-door opening. A few years later the the Brazilian Navy’s Ceara was built as a submarine tender with a unique pressure chamber built into the stern. Submarines could be floated in for maintenance which including pressurising the chamber to test the submarine’s hull. The weakness of these fascinating designs was that submarines quickly outgrew them, being generally too large for their hangars. In more recent times South Korea has operated the ROKS Dadohae (ASL-50) special floating dock for its special forces midget submarines. While Pakistan made a much less exotic side-lifting crane for similar sizes midget submarines at its main operating base in Karachi.

Not what she might first appear. South Korea’s ROKS Dadohae (ASL-50) is a floating dock/mothership for the country’s Italian designed Cos.Mo.S midget submarines.

Outlook

China is, as we’ve come to expect, leading the way in future naval capabilities. These special motherships will likely act as submarine tenders in port, but also transport the XXLUUVs within strike range of targets. Given that we estimate an operational range of 10,000 nautical miles, this can still be a long way from the target.

At this time the next question is whether this is a ‘grey navy’ PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) hull, or a quasi-naval commercial hull operated by the shipyard. The lines between traditional navy and commercial fleets have blurred in China with full-sized drone carriers operated, ostensibly at least, by the ship building corporations. Up to a point this will be moot however, I take the construction of this vessel as a strong indication of evolving Chinese war fighting capabilities. The Chinese Navy (PLAN) is outpacing the rest of the world in naval innovation and ambition as well as just shipbuilding output.

Update

Photo shared online 23rd Sept 2026. Beware AI enhanced versions

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Hiding behind signs warning onlookers not to take photographs, a previously unreported stealth boat has been seen in at least two Chinese ports. The vessel has been in the water for some time but had evaded the attention of onlookers, until now.

It has a catamaran layout with a large hangar space taking up most of the upper structures. A generous cockpit over the bow suggests that it is ordinarily crewed, but like all new Chinese special purpose vessels these days there’s a possibility that it is ‘optionally crewed’. Although its overall lines appear stealthy, there is a large lattice mast above the bridge.

The design immediately brings to mind the American M80 Stiletto design, used as a Special Forces transport. It also bears some similarities to the French Espadon (Swordfish) MCM (mine countermeasures) vessel which is no longer active. That vessel is much more box-like, there is no chance of mistaking them, but the overall layout is similar with a catamaran hull and large hangar in the stern. The Espandon’s hangar can carry a towfish or other uncrwed payloads. In China, some Type-022 missile boats have been modified with large box-like superstructures resembling this, although I do not think that the two types are related.

Reference image of the American M80 Stiletto. US Navy photo.

The most straightforward explanation is that this design is some sort of drone mothership, similar to the Espadon. In this line of thought, possibly it is uncrewed. We may one day find out.

The sign reads ‘no photos’

Second Stealth Catamaran

Another design, but with an open working deck. This one may be for launching underwater drones, or for towing sonar towfish. Note that the three objects along the side are fenders.

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The Magura MV11 broke cover at Independence Day in Kyiv on 24th August when one took part in a parade on the river) That example was likely operated by Ukraine’s armed forces, likely the Navy (VMS-ZSU).

Larger than typical Ukrainian USVs which are 5-7 meters long, the MV11 is 12 meters (39 ft) long. And it weighs much more at over 10 tonnes, with a payload capacity in the region of 2 tonnes. That’s more than enough to carry a large battery of smaller aerial drones, either for attack or air defence. The fit shown, likely its primary one, is a bank of 18 Sting interceptor drones in individual box launchers. The interceptor drones take off vertically.

Ukraine has already been experimenting with launching interceptor drones from USVs to extend Ukraine’s anti-drone defences offshore. The increased carry capacity of the MV11 takes that to a more mature level. We can speculate that the MV11 platform could be used to mount other types of interceptor drones, or even larger missiles.

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Footage of the Ukrainian surface drone strike on Sochi, which struck the Russian Government linked special ship Nefrit, also shows a rare glimpse at something else. In the harbour the Russian navy has deployed trained dolphins and belugas to defend against divers. The pens are just visible, fleetingly, in video footage posted on Russian social media.

The attack involved British built Kraken USVs, the first time that they have been seen in public sources in the Black Sea.

A Kraken USV, seen here at the Combined Naval Event (CNE) in UK, 2026.

The harbour also has a floating boom defense fitted, but the Nefrit was tied up along the sea wall outside this defensive line.

Reference satellite image of the pens from Google Earth. The square pens are for dolphins, and the octagonal one for Beluga whales.

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The Shadowfin drone is designed and built by Danish company Søens Tech, which has a background in innovative Mechatronics technologies to support underwater infrastructure projects, especially in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD). The Shadowfin is thus, while innovative and unconventional, developed by engineers intimately acquainted with watery arena.

Among Western designs Shadowfin stands out as being engineered for truly low-cost warfare. Its hull is a simple fiberglass tube, and the thrusters are commercial off the shelf units. While this will limited its operating depth, it results in a very affordable platform.

Shadowfin on display at DALO Industry Day 2026. Photo Naval News.

Specifications (estimates)
Length: 7 meters
Diameter: ~0.5 m
Displacement: 1.5 tons
Payload: ~300 kg

The thrusters are unusual. Shadowfin uses two rim-drive pumpjets where the blades rotate around the outside of the rim, leaving the center where the axel normally is completely clear. This arrangement is increasingly available in commercial thrusters, but has yet to be widely seen in defence projects.

The rim-drive pumpjets appear to be an underwater-optimised type built by Copenhagen Subsea. Rim drive designs use the rim itself as the motor, eliminating the need for the complexity and moving parts of the hub. Passing electricity through the rim spins the ring directly, removing the need for a gearbox, drive shaft, or seals. This means that it should, in general, be quieter too.

Shadowfin on display at DALO Industry Day 2026. Photo Naval News.

The design features a tall, fixed mast which can house cameras and other sensors, as well as navigation and communications antenna. It is also proposed that it could include a short mast to allow an internal combustion engine in the hull, which would significantly increase endurance.

Shadowfin is intended to carry a 300kg payload, about the same as a heavyweight torpedo, enabling both ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions and direct strike. Soens Tech propose an improved version, Shadowfin Enhanced, armed with a MU90 Impact lightweight torpedo. This weapon is not used by Denmark but has been sold to Ukraine for use aboard their future Ada Class corvettes. Soens intend it to provide an anti-submarine warfare capability. Being low cost, it can also be used as a decoy or forward sensor node. We can therefore envisage a formation of Shadowfins with some drawing the target in while those behind are positioned to launch the torpedoes in response.

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At least 21 special covered boast hangars have been dug into the southern shore of Lake Donuzlav in Crimea. These defended positions are likely for Russian surface drone (USV – uncrewed surface vessel) use. Information has now been made public from Ukrainian CyberBoroshno (КіберБорошно) OSINT sources.

Credit CyberBoroshno

This matches an observed increase in Russian Navy (and possibly other armed forces) use of USVs to attack the Odesa region. Some attacks have been launched from Chornomorskoe, further north on Crimea, but a base on Lake Donuzlav has long been suspected.

The base is dispersed in two areas. Construction of the first set of 8 hides, at Donuzlav Air Base in the vicinity of 45.3424°, 33.0532°, started in February 2026. The second set of 8, between Donuzlav Air Base and the historic naval base at Novoozernoe (confusingly called ‘Southern Naval Base’) in the vicinity of 45.3626°, 33.0608°, were started just after. Digging the inlets used mechanical diggers from the shore side. Both sets of hides were largely complete by the end of the second week of March, but the number have been increased over the months to 13 at the second site.

The design of both sets is similar. Around half of the hides appear covered at any point in time. Some USVs and related equipment may be stored in revetments at Donuzlav Air Base and the surrounding area.

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A surface drone (USV) has been found off the coast of Romania, drifting close to the Neptun Alpha drilling platform. As the vessel began to drift away it was hit by cannon fire from a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter. It was subsequently destroyed by EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) personnel. The black-painted craft appeared to be dead in the water, with seagulls gathering on its hull. It is reported to be of Russian origin.

Similar in size to other USVs operated by both sides in the Black Sea, this appears to be a previously unreported type. It is not closely related to the Russian Navy-linked model of USV observed during raids on Odesa.

There are no signs of impact fuses on the bow so it may not have been carrying an explosive ram-warhead. However there is a large hinged hangar in the forward hull so it may have been equipped with missiles or aerial drones of some sort.

Key: A) flat antenna, possibly satellite communications such as StarLink B) hangar C) commercial surface navigation radar D) flat antenna, possibly satellite communications such as StarLink E) fixed flat forward facing antenna, possibly air-search radar F) MESH radio antenna G) Electro-optical sensor.

Russian USVs have become more prevalent and more threatening in the Black Sea. However, their inability to use StarLink and Ukrainian countermeasures have at least blunted their potential in Russian hands. Ukrainian USVs however, remain a serious threat and shaping tool throughout the Black Sea despite high attrition, and have recently come into their own disabling sanctioned tankers.

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CLICK to Enlarge.

Russia’s new Pr. 09851 class submarine, Khabarovsk, has started sea trials after almost 9 months of fitting out and degaussing in Severodvinsk in the Russian Arctic. The unique submarine was launched at the Sevmash yard there in November last year.

The vessel is in many ways similar to the Pr.955A Borei-A Class, and highly-likely shares the same reactor and propulsion, but has the missile tubes swapped out for a Poseidon nuclear-armed nuclear-powered intercontinental torpedoes. The Poseidon are carried in the bow behind large outer shutters, like the similarly equipped Pr. 09852 submarine Belgorod.

CLICK to Enlarge. Updated profile based on latest analysis.

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The ship loaded its cargo at Portovaya near St. Petersburg (vicinity 60.5093°, 28.1779° - about as far from the Russian city and as close to the Finnish border as is possible for the dangerous product) and is being escorted out of the Baltic by the Russian Navy Pr. 22350 Gorshkov Class frigate Admiral Kasatonov.

Portovyy escorted by Admiral Kasatonov today. Photo via Frank Behling, BlueSky.

It is unlikely that the ship, laden with LNG, will actually sail to Murmansk as the final destination; Russia does not need to export LNG to itself. Instead, its cargo is likely for East Asia, presumably China. This would involve sailing across the Northern Sea Route (NSR). So the cargo either needs to be transhipped to another tanker for the journey, perhaps a better ice-hardened one, or Portovyy has to sail there herself. I would expect the latter, but if a transhipment is made it may be in a fjord just west of Murmansk.

Sending LNG tankers from the Baltic export terminals, around the top of Russia, to the Pacific would be a new tactic. LNG tankers do sail across the top of Russia, but from the gas terminals there, not from the Baltic. Only one LNG tanker has made the transit from the Baltic before, Velikiy Novgorod in 2023, and that appeared to be more of a test or demonstration. And none sailed this way in the past two years, although several crude oil tankers did. Instead, LNG cargos from the Baltic have been sailing south through the Mediterranean/Suez or around Africa.

The Russian shadow fleet LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz after being struck by surface drones (USVs) in the Mediterranean. The ship wasn’t fuelled by LNG, but the massive explosions, which blew out whole sections of the double hull.

Since 2022 Portovyy has been anchofred near Portovaya as floating storage unit (FSU) for LNG. But this doesn’t match with her current voyage which appears fully laden, so her role has logically changed to that of a regular vessel.

The NSR promises a shorter route during its summer ‘open’ season, and it avoids the war-torn Middle East. But these are unlikely to be the determining factor. It is more likely the success of Ukrainian surface drones (USVs) in blowing up LNG tankers outside the Black Sea (see Arctic Metagaz although Ukraine has not claimed credit). LNG cargoes are particularly vulnerable, and Russia is thus adapting to the Ukrainian threats to keep its important economic lifeline to fund its war in Ukraine open.

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