The Russian Black Sea Fleet used a missile drone to destroy a Ukrainian naval drone. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggest that this may indicate the development of new methods to combat Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea.

Source:ISW

Quote: "The Russian Ministry of Defence reported on 1 February that Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) used a drone to destroy a Ukrainian naval drone in the Black Sea. Russian milbloggers claimed that the Russian BSF launched a Kronshtadt Orion missile-capable drone from an unspecified naval asset and that this strike may be the first documented case of Russian forces leveraging a naval asset to deploy drones capable of destroying Ukrainian naval drones."

Details: ISW analysts report that this incident highlights a new approach by the Russian military to counter Ukrainian naval drones, which have demonstrated high effectiveness in the Black Sea.

The report also indicates that Russian milbloggers are calling on the Russian authorities to increase the production of weapons similar to the X-UAV (TKB-1030) missiles to effectively counter Ukrainian naval drones.

Quote: "Ukrainian forces have demonstrated their ability to down Russian Mi-8 helicopters operating over the Black Sea using missiles launched from Magura V5 naval strike drones, and the 1 February BSF strike suggests that Russian forces have developed a new method to try to offset this Ukrainian naval drone adaptation."

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 1 February:

• Russian forces conducted a large-scale series of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of 31 January to 1 February.
• A recent Russian drone strike on a Ukrainian naval drone suggests that Russian forces have developed a new method to offset Ukrainian capabilities in the Black Sea.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.

Support UP or become our patron !