Russia claims Ukrainian naval drones now armed with guided missiles
A Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessel reportedly launched a guided missile during an attack on a Russian-occupied offshore gas platform in the Black Sea.
Footage of the incident, allegedly filmed by a Russian reconnaissance drone during the overnight hours of May 1–2, 2025, was released by Russian military-linked channels.
The video appears to show a naval drone launching a missile before making a U-turn on the opposite course.
While previous reports confirmed the use of unguided thermobaric rockets, specifically RPV-16s, mounted on Sea Baby drones, the latest footage suggests a more advanced system.
Ukrainian drones have also been observed with R-73 infrared-guided air-to-air missiles adapted for ground and surface targets. A Magura drone was previously shown with an inclined launcher designed for such missiles.
However, the missile trajectory in the new video differs from the known profiles of these weapons. Observers noted in-flight course correction, consistent with the characteristics of guided systems. The poor video quality prevents positive identification, but analysts suggest it could be a type of anti-tank guided missile adapted for naval use and integrated into the drone.
The footage also shows a second Ukrainian USV deploying a small drone, likely an FPV loitering munition, presumably for battle damage assessment or a follow-up strike.
Ukraine’s uncrewed naval systems have evolved significantly since their early use as kamikaze boats. They have been documented carrying naval mines, machine guns, unguided rockets, surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes, and loitering munitions.
These expanded payloads enable broader mission profiles — coastal strike, convoy protection, maritime patrol, and counter-drone or sabotage operations. Some USVs now carry drones onboard, creating a multi-domain capability from a single platform.
The UK is also developing naval drones dubbed Wasp and Snapper to support Ukraine’s maritime defense. The design specifications reportedly include missile payloads with 80 kg high-explosive fragmentation warheads and ranges between 30 and 100 kilometers.
The pocurement of the new systems was scheduled to begin in Q1 2025, with full-scale trials expected in late 2025 or early 2026.
Source: Militarnyi
