KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The commander of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency’s maritime drone operations says more sophisticated strikes against Russian forces are expected next year after a fleet of Kiev drones successfully curbed the actions of Russia’s once-dominant Black Sea navy.
The head of Group 13, a specialized maritime drone force, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the attacks in Ukraine forced Russia to make adjustments that limited opportunities for large-scale attacks in the Black Sea early in the war.
“Today, we may have reached a stable stage,” said the officer, whose call sign is only “13th” under Ukrainian military protocols.
“We’re effectively limiting the enemy’s movement, but those dramatic, high-profile strikes we’ve seen before haven’t happened in a while. That’s because the enemy has adapted.”
Last month, Ukrainian officials said they used maritime attack drones to target Russia’s “shadow fleet” oil tankers that are evading sanctions. Commanders declined to comment on the operations.
The official said the Russian navy ships had “little action,” often venturing only 25 miles (40 kilometers) from port to fire missiles before retreating. “They’re constantly hiding. In a way, that’s a result of our force as well – because you can imagine the cost of maintaining a fleet that can’t operate at sea.”
The officer was wearing a uniform with his face covered and his eyes obscured by tinted glasses. The intelligence agency asked that the location and other details of the interview not be disclosed for security reasons.
Drone technology is vital to Ukraine’s military, providing cheap tools for reconnaissance and strikes against Russian incursions. Its two maritime drone programs are run by the military and domestic intelligence services respectively.
Group 13 operates the Magura series of maritime drones, which Ukraine believes have carried out numerous attacks on Russian ships.
The force currently fields two variants – the V5 (a smaller impact drone) and the larger V7 (a weapons platform). Both are controlled remotely from a suitcase-sized console equipped with a joystick, screen and safety switch.
In a recent demonstration, operators showed off a V7 equipped with an improved U.S.-made Sidewinder air-to-air missile. In May, intelligence agencies said a Magura drone shot down a Russian fighter jet – a development that commanders called a “breakthrough” in maritime warfare.
He said the next stage in Ukraine’s drone development will rely on deeper integration of artificial intelligence, leveraging a growing archive of operational video and sensor data to improve targeting and reduce operator workload.
“Right now, target search is an integrated process — part operator, part AI,” he said. “In the future, you will launch a drone that will independently search for targets, differentiate between civilian and military vessels, and make many more decisions.”
He added that the Ukrainian military has a “vast amount” of combat data that can be used to further train artificial intelligence models.
Although he did not comment on specific development plans within intelligence agencies, he said on the 13th that countries that are exploring long-range strike options, submersible drones and more complex mixed fleet operations consider such systems a logical next step.
Ukraine is also seeking to expand joint production of drones with several NATO countries next year.
During President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Athens last month, Kyiv and Greece announced plans to cooperate on maritime unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), expand training and exercises, and share information on maritime threats.
Despite Russia’s changes, commanders say Ukraine’s maritime drone program remains effective.
“We are working on many fronts to change this situation and create a tipping point,” he said. “Now, I can say this: We have not lost effectiveness. We have simply reached a point where we can contain our enemies.”
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Oleksiy Yeroshenko contributed to this report.
