Home / War and Conflict / Russia Trains Naval Drones to Sink Ships, Eyeing NATO, Not Ukraine
Russia Trains Naval Drones to Sink Ships, Eyeing NATO, Not Ukraine
28 Jul
Summary
- Russia using naval drones to practice attacking and sinking ships
- Training likely aimed at NATO, not Ukraine, due to Ukraine's lack of a navy
- Russia's Black Sea Fleet forced to relocate due to Ukraine's asymmetric tactics
In recent months, Russia has been conducting naval exercises, known as "July Storm," that focus on the use of naval drones packed with explosives to attack and sink ships. However, this training is not directed at the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, as Kyiv does not have much of a traditional navy.
Instead, the exercises are likely aimed at preparing for a potential confrontation with NATO. Ukraine has been using an asymmetric military campaign, including domestically produced naval drones and missile strikes, to fight back against Russia's Black Sea Fleet. These tactics have damaged or destroyed dozens of Russian warships, forcing Moscow to relocate the bulk of its fleet from the occupied Crimean peninsula to the port of Novorossiysk.
Russia has attempted to strengthen its defenses around the Black Sea, but Ukraine has adapted by equipping its naval drones with surface-to-air missile launchers. The Kremlin's exercises incorporate "experience gained during the special military operation," as Russian President Vladimir Putin described it, suggesting the training is aimed at preparing for future naval conflicts, potentially with NATO.
Naval drone warfare has become a growing threat, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea also using these weapons to strike commercial vessels. As this technology becomes more prevalent, both Russia and NATO are focusing on training their forces to counter the threat.
