Russia said it had successfully performed its first confirmed attack with an unmanned boat against an Ukraine Navy ship. The target was the Simferopol recognition ship, hit at the mouth of the Danube River.
The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the attack, reporting a death and several injuries between the crew, but did not detail the method used. The episode marks a significant tactical turn to Moscow, which seeks to replicate the successful naval drone campaign that Kiev has been employing to contain the powerful Russian Black Sea fleet.
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At the same time, in an asymmetrical demonstration of war, Ukrainian intelligence (Gur) launched a drone air strike complex against a Russian buyan-m missile ship anchored in the Azov Sea, hundreds of kilometers behind the front line. The attack, which severely damaged the vessel, occurred during a massive Russian missile dam against Ukraine and had the effect of temporarily neutralizing a KaliBr cruise missile launcher.
Analysts indicate that the Russian attack on Simferopol signals the beginning of a new phase in the maritime conflict. Although Ukraine has a few remaining ships, making them rare targets, Russia is expected to intensify the use of these weapons, inspired by the Ukrainian strategy.
The confrontation in the Black Sea has been defined by these naval drones, where a traditionally lower navy has used accessible technology and innovation to challenge and impose heavy losses on a much larger conventional fleet.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: x @archer83Oble | This content was created with the help of AI and revised by the editorial team
And here’s footage from the Russian unmanned surface vehicle (USV) that struck the Ukrainian reconnaissance ship “Simferopol” last night. pic.twitter.com/4sRaD3O48U
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) August 28, 2025
The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the fact of a Russian strike with an unmanned surface vessel (USV) on the Lahuna-class reconnaissance ship “Simferopol” in the Danube delta last night.
This is the first known successful Russian USV attack on a Ukrainian warship since the beginning… pic.twitter.com/VjpssuSgbe
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) August 28, 2025
