'First-ever battle' — Ukrainian naval drone destroys Russian unmanned boat in Black Sea, Navy says

A Ukrainian unmanned surface vessel successfully destroyed a Russian naval drone in the Black Sea, marking a historic first-ever naval battle between unmanned boats, according to the Ukrainian Navy. The operation, carried out in collaboration with the Ukrainian military intelligence agency HUR, occurred on September 12. The Russian drone was neutralized by a Ukrainian Sargan-3000 unmanned boat, which was equipped with a 12.7-mm Protector remote weapons station.

This drone-on-drone encounter represented a significant shift in maritime warfare, as both Ukraine and Russia have been increasingly relying on unmanned systems. The Ukrainian military shared footage of the operation on their official Telegram account, though the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the report at the time of publication.

This joint operation highlights the growing trend of unmanned warfare at sea, as both nations continue to expand their unmanned systems capabilities. Ukraine has been particularly active in this arena, conducting numerous maritime drone operations in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, targeting over 100 Russian vessels this summer alone.

Meanwhile, Russia is also advancing its unmanned capabilities, reportedly constructing its first dedicated naval-drone port in occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian Sargan-3000 platform, utilized in this operation, is a highly maneuverable multi-purpose unmanned system capable of executing strike missions, having passed combat testing in April 2026.