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The commander of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency’s maritime drone campaign says more complex attacks will be carried out against Russian The army is expected next year, after Kiev’s fleet succeeded in curbing the activities of Russia’s once-dominant black sea Navy.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the head of Group 13, the specialized maritime drone unit, said the Ukraine attacks have forced Russia to adapt, limiting the opportunity for major Black Sea strikes seen earlier in the war.
“Today, we have probably reached a plateau,” said the officer, identified only by the call sign “13th” under Ukrainian military protocol.
“We are effectively limiting the enemy’s movements, but the dramatic, high-profile attacks we saw in the past have not happened for quite some time. That’s because the enemy has adapted.”
Last month, Ukrainian officials said maritime attack drones were used in attacks against ships in a “shadow fleet” of oil tankers that evade Russian sanctions. The commander declined to comment on those operations.
The official said Russian naval vessels “barely operate”, often approaching only 25 miles (40 kilometers) from port to fire missiles before retreating. “They’re constantly hiding. And in a way, that’s also a result of our unit – because you can imagine the cost of maintaining a fleet that can’t operate at sea.”
The officer spoke in uniform, his face covered and eyes obscured by dark glasses. For security reasons, the intelligence agency asked not to disclose the location and other details of the interview.
Drone technology has become vital to Ukraine’s military, providing inexpensive tools for reconnaissance and strikes to counter Russian aggression. Its two maritime-drone programs are run separately by its military and domestic intelligence services.
The group operates the Magura family of 13 maritime drones, which Ukraine credits for several attacks on Russian ships.
The unit currently deploys two variants – the V5, a small ramming drone, and the larger V7, a weapons platform. Both are controlled remotely using a suitcase-sized console equipped with a joystick, screen and safety switches.
In a recent demonstration, operators showed off a V7 equipped with modified US-made Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. In May, the intelligence agency said a Magura drone shot down a Russian fighter jet – a development the commander called a “success” in maritime warfare.
He said the next phase of Ukraine’s drone development will rely on deeper integration of artificial intelligence using growing collections of operational video and sensor data to improve targeting and reduce operator workload.
“Right now, target discovery is a combined process – part operator, part AI,” he said. “In the future, you will launch a drone and it will independently search for targets, distinguish civilian vessels from military vessels, and make more decisions.”
He said Ukraine’s military has a “huge amount” of operational data available to further train AI models.
Although he did not comment on specific development plans within the intelligence agency, 13th said that countries exploring long-range strike options, submarine drones and more complex mixed-fleet operations see such systems as the logical next step.
Ukraine is also seeking to expand co-production of drones with several NATO countries next year.
During the visit of President Volodymyr Zelensky Athens last month, Kyiv and Greece announced plans for joint work on maritime unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), expanded training and exercises, and information sharing on maritime threats.
Despite Russia’s adjustments, the commander said Ukraine’s maritime-drone program remains effective.
“We are working on multiple fronts to change this situation and create a turning point,” he said. “At the moment, I can say this: We have not lost effectiveness. We have simply reached the point where we are keeping the enemy under control.”
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Oleksiy Yeroschenko contributed to this report.