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Ukraine’s Marauding Sea Drones Bewilder Russia

Things continue to worsen for Russia’s battered military in the Black Sea as Ukrainian innovation inflicts greater pain.

On January 5, Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels (USVs) deployed kamikaze drones from the Black Sea to target Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense systems in Kherson Oblast, valued at $15m–$20m a unit. “With constant advancements in [attack] drone ranges on both sides, a Ukrainian USV launch could take place miles from shore, beyond the reach of Russian air, sea, or shore-based surveillance,” Bendett said. By keeping pressure on the bridge with periodic cruise missile and drone strikes, Ukraine ensures that Russia is forced to divert air defense systems to protect it, stretching those assets thin and leaving other fronts vulnerable.

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