Unmanned watercraft posing potential attack risk identified in Novorossiysk
In the bustling city of Novorossiysk, an unexpected threat looms — a potential drone boat attack. The Krasnodar Krai operational headquarters announced this concerning news on their Telegram channel.
"Residents on the first coastal line, stay indoors and keep away from windows!" - the alert, published at 13:31 Moscow time, advises.
The operational headquarters has urged residents to avoid posting photos and videos of air defense systems, protective measures, and the work of special and emergency services on social media.
Recollecting recent events, last month, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of ten Ukrainian drone boats in the Black Sea. They elaborated that these drones were eliminated using the on-duty fire means of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Intriguingly, the Russian Ministry of Defense also reported the interception and elimination of 121 Ukrainian drones across various regions, with a significant majority (89) downed over Crimea. Moreover, 23 drones were destroyed over the Black and Azov Seas, four in the Krasnodar Krai, and two in the Oryol region. One more drone was shot down in the airspace of the Bryansk and Belgorod regions.
It is worth mentioning that earlier, a US-made boat was annihilated in the Black Sea.
As we delve deeper into this escalating conflict, it's noteworthy that Russia has been swiftly upgrading its naval drone capacities in response to Ukraine's successful asymmetric warfare. With the sinking of the cruiser Moskva and damage to Sevastopol-based ships, Russia has shifted part of its fleet to Novorossiysk and emphasized robotic systems to counter Українські drone threats.
Russia's counter-drone arsenal includes the launch of aerial Skvorets-VMF drones from unmanned boats, capable of striking coastal targets such as bunkers and airfields. Additionally, the Marlin kamikaze drone, available in riverine (1.5 kg payload) and maritime (2 kg payload) variants, is designed for direct attacks. Russia is also producing the reusable Vizir heavy drone, which autonomously returns after missions, augmenting their naval drone fleet.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to deploy their Sea Baby drone in attacks, notably in the July 2023 Kerch Bridge incident. This drone carries up to 1,800 lbs of explosives, making it the largest-payload among Ukrainian naval drones. Overnight raids on May 2, 2025, targeted Crimea, causing explosions near Black Sea Fleet airfields.
This back-and-forth between the two nations underscores a growing arms race in drone-boat deployments, as Russia seeks to overwhelm defenses through multi-directional swarms, while Ukraine escalates payload capacity and strike frequency. Infrastructure targeting, particularly fuel depots and supply lines, has become a focus, with mid-2024 to early 2025 strikes impacting Russian oil and gas infrastructure.
Recent attacks suggest a concentration on Crimea and the Black Sea Fleet, with Russia’s Novorossiysk base serving as a critical node in its defensive drone warfare strategy.
- The alert issued at 13:31 Moscow time for residents in Novorossiysk advises them to stay indoors and away from windows due to the potential threat of a drone boat attack.
- The operational headquarters in Krasnodar Krai warned residents against posting photos and videos of air defense systems, protective measures, and the work of special and emergency services on social media.
- Last month, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported eliminating ten Ukrainian drone boats in the Black Sea, with 89 of the 121 intercepted and destroyed drones downed over Crimea.
- As the conflict escalates, Russia has been enhancing its naval drone capacities, launching aerial Skvorets-VMF drones from unmanned boats and producing reusable Vizir heavy drones to counter Ukranian drone threats.
- Ukraine continues to deploy their Sea Baby drone, capable of carrying up to 1,800 lbs of explosives, in attacks, particularly concentrating on Crimea and the Black Sea Fleet, highlighting a growing arms race in drone-boat deployments.
