The Ukrainian Defense Forces said on Tuesday it had destroyed a Russian war patrol boat near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea. Magura V5, the latest version of a Ukrainian-made autonomous maritime drone, was used in the operation.
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Ukraine: two years of war
During the night, a special operation in Ukrainian territorial waters destroyed the most modern Russian patrol boat, the Sergei Kotov. The Russian warship sank near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea after being hit by Magura-V5 maritime drones, Ukrainian military intelligence (Gur) said on Telegram on Tuesday morning. “As a result of an attack by Magura V5 maritime drones, the Russian ship Project 22160 Sergey Kotov was damaged on the stern, starboard and port sides,” the agency wrote.
The Gur immediately released a black and white video showing the alleged nighttime attack. In the images we can see a naval drone approaching the Sergei Kotov – 94m long – and then an explosion with a large flame, smoke and debris being thrown over the ship. His spokesman Andriy Yusov said on Telegram that the patrol boat had already been “severely damaged” in a previous attack by Ukrainian forces last September, but that it was “certainly destroyed this time.” The post added that the ship was worth around $65 million.
In two years of war, Kiev's armed forces managed to withdraw the powerful Russian fleet in the Black Sea using missiles and naval drones, thereby allowing the reopening of a maritime corridor for the export of Ukrainian grain by ignoring bomb threats. According to the Ukrainian army, around a third of Russian military ships in the area have become “unfit for use”. Among other things, Kiev is relying on a fleet of autonomous maritime drones, the latest version of which, the Magura V5, was used in this operation.
Almost secret abilities
A little technological gem, the Magura (for “Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus” or “autonomous maritime robotic apparatus” in French) is an autonomous sea drone of Ukrainian design. With a length of 5.50 m and a width of 1.50 m, this maritime drone can reach a cruising speed of 22 knots (40 km/h) and a maximum speed of 42 knots (78 km/h), with an operating radius of approx 830 kilometers. detailed a report by the American broadcaster CNN, which was broadcast last July.
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Thanks to its hydrodynamic hull and agile maneuverability, the Magura V5 has almost unobtrusive capabilities. The Ukrainian Navy uses it for surveillance or reconnaissance missions. But it could also be used as a kamikaze drone by carrying up to 300 kilograms of explosives on board, the American media emphasized in their report. The exact number of copies available to the Ukrainian army is unknown as the information is classified as defense secret.
The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to make any official comment on last night's attack, but Russian military bloggers close to the armed forces have confirmed the attack, with some highlighting the Russian Navy's inability to defend itself. According to Ukrainian media Kyiv Post, remote-controlled attack drones loaded with explosives sank the Ceasar Kunikov on February 14 while it was near the seaside resort of Alupka in Crimea. This new attack is a new one for the Russian fleet.
M.D