The Ukrainian Navy successfully struck a Russian drone boat operating near Snake Island, employing a guided munition dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to destroy the target.
Footage showed a KAMA unmanned surface vessel (USV) from Izhevsk-based firm ZALA engulfed in flames following the attack.
The operation was conducted jointly with a special unit of the Security Service of Ukraine, according to the navy.
KAMA debuted at the 2026 International Maritime Defense Show in Saint Petersburg as a multipurpose naval platform capable of carrying various payloads.
The USV can reportedly carry up to 600 kilograms (1,323 pounds) over a range of 700 kilometers (435 miles).
Russia Expands Its USV Infrastructure
Russia is working to expand its unmanned naval capabilities, with reports indicating that Moscow is constructing a specialized USV base on the western coast of occupied Crimea.
Satellite imagery analyzed by open-source intelligence group CyberBoroshno reportedly shows roughly 21 boathouses at the site.
The group believes the structures are intended to store, launch, and service drone boats, with each protected by sand embankments and camouflage netting.
Although no operational activity has been observed at the site, the infrastructure suggests Russia is preparing to deploy USVs at scale in the Black Sea.
“The creation of such infrastructure indicates that the enemy is probably at the testing stage and is preparing a base for the future deployment of this class of equipment,” CyberBoroshno stressed.
