Russia's armed forces in the Black Sea may soon get their hands on a new weapon that can be used against both naval and coastal targets. New unmanned boat drones are expected to be delivered to the Russian military by the end of the year to be tested in the Ukrainian conflict zone, managing director of Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant (KMZ) Mikhail Danilenko told Sputnik.
The first batch of these drones is going to consist of ten units, each capable of reaching a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour and carrying up to 600 kilograms worth of payload, explosive or otherwise, he added. While such drones can pose a considerable threat to ships, they can also be used against coastal targets, Russian military historian Yury Knutov said.
“Seeing how Ukraine currently has no navy, these drones are going to be used against coastal targets,” he speculated, noting, however, that any warship Ukraine tries to use under its flag will likely become a target for them.