Ukrainian pilot tells how jet ski-powered drones sank Russian warship

Near Odessa, Ukraine (CNN) — Six maritime drones powered by jet skis were needed to sink a Russian guided missile ship last week, according to a rare interview with the secret Ukrainian unit behind the attack.

Ukrainian defense intelligence said at the time that the small Russian warship, Ivanovets, had suffered multiple strikes on its hull before being sunk by drones in an inlet off the Russian-held Crimea peninsula.

One of the drone pilots responsible for the attack told CNN that ten “Magura” drones were used in the attack, six of which struck and ultimately sank the Russian warship, the latest embarrassing loss for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Is.

According to the pilot, the “Magura” drones are a few meters long and powered by jet skis, but they have a range of about 800 kilometers, giving his unit the freedom to launch them on missions from large stretches of the Ukrainian coast. Target in Crimea.

The pilot, identified by the callsign “13”, is a member of a special unit of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency (GUR), which has been linked to a series of attacks in Crimea and Russia, often using drones to strike from far away . Beyond the range of conventional weapons in the Ukrainian arsenal.

Nighttime footage released by the Ukrainians shows the Russians firing at the drones as they headed towards Ivanovets, before at least two drones hit the side of the ship, disabling it and causing massive damage. But there was an explosion.

The images include a shocking scene in which the bow of the Ivanovets appears to emerge from the water as it sinks to the bottom of Lake Donuzlav.

CNN could not independently verify Ukraine’s claim, nor determine which ship was hit when or how. Russia has not made any official comment on Ukraine’s claims.

Request for more drones

With a series of drone attacks against strategic targets in Russia in recent weeks, Kiev is increasingly turning to drones to strike a balance with Russia.

Moscow’s oil and gas infrastructure is at risk from a drone attack targeting a Russian oil terminal about 100 kilometers west of St. Petersburg.

“The Russians started waking up at night during the explosion,” Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukrainian defense intelligence, told CNN in late January. “They see the real picture of war.”

Even on the battlefield, Ukraine’s top general has called for widespread use of drones to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and negate Russia’s material advantage in weapons and ammunition.

“Unmanned systems such as drones, along with other types of advanced weapons, offer Ukraine the best way to avoid being drawn into a positional war in which we have no advantage,” the commander in chief wrote. Valery Zaluzny of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an op-ed on CNN last week.

He said, “In short, this means nothing less than a complete redesign of battlefield operations and abandoning old and orthodox thinking.”

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 – and following new losses following a 2022 Russian invasion – Ukraine no longer has an operational navy in the Black Sea. But the sinking of the Ivanovets is another victory in Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The most notable of its attacks was the attack on Moskva in April 2022, which forced Russia to change the way it operates near Ukrainian-controlled areas.

“Jeweler’s work”

The pilot says the drone’s impact is impressive, but it’s delicate work.

“The main thing is to feel the drone,” he told CNN. “If you push it a little bit, you can lose control of the drone. I would say it’s like a jeweler’s work.”

Remotely controlled via a Starlink connection, the drone can be pre-programmed for long trips across the Black Sea.

He explains that a pilot constantly monitors the drone’s path, and the final dash to the target is usually controlled manually.

“The drone’s payload of 250 kg can be increased to 300 kg, but there is no need to do so,” he said. Drones have proven effective even against some of the toughest ships in Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet.

Drones about six meters long are emerging from the water. But once afloat, they become a difficult target for Russian defenders.

“They are very difficult to see, especially in the open sea. Their size makes them difficult to control because the sea is rough, but that also makes it more difficult for the enemy to reach us,” he said.

The pilot said the weapons on Russian warships were not designed with drones in mind, forcing targets like IVAN to use cannons better suited for duels with other ships.

Video of the attack shows the impact of munitions in the water as the drones headed towards Ivanovets. The ammunition is unable to stop incoming bombs.

In a drone demonstration in the Black Sea, CNN observed a drone, similar to the one used against Ivanovets, taking tight turns at high speed on autopilot. It is agile by design, the pilot said.

“No warship can be as maneuverable as these drones,” he said.