Small sea drones with 4,400-lb payload capacity destroy enemy vessels

Two Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels, known as Baby maritime drones, successfully destroyed two large Russian oil tankers, Kairos and Virat, in the Black Sea. These vessels, part of Russia’s shadow fleet, were carrying approximately $70 million worth of oil and were targeted while en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk near Turkey’s Black Sea coast. The strikes caused significant fires on the tankers, prompting the evacuation of crew members. Both ships sailed under the Gambian flag. Turkey expressed concern over the attacks occurring within its Exclusive Economic Zone, emphasizing the risks posed to navigation safety, life, property, and the environment, and called for efforts to prevent escalation in the region. Developed by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the Sea Baby drones have evolved from single-use explosive boats into versatile, reusable naval platforms with extended capabilities. The latest models reportedly have ranges exceeding 1,500 km and can carry payloads of up to 2,000 kg of explosives.