Russian forces have been using naval drones packed with explosives to practice attacking and sinking ships, mimicking one of the tactics that Ukraine has leaned on to fight Moscow’s warships.
However, the Russian training does not appear to be directed at the Ukraine war since Kyiv does not have much in the way of a traditional navy; rather, it is likely pointed at NATO and a potential confrontation with the military alliance.
Russia’s defense ministry released footage on Saturday of its “July Storm” naval exercises, and one of the publicized demonstrations showed forces from the Baltic Fleet use uncrewed surface vessels to destroy a fake enemy ship.
The footage showed a naval drone approaching the mock target in the middle at a perpendicular angle and impacting the structure, causing a massive blast.
The defense ministry said the exercise involved naval drones, aerial drones, helicopters, and ships — all of which have been involved in battles in the Black Sea.
Ukraine did not have much of a navy at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022, especially after scuttling what little it had to keep the Russians from getting their hands on it. To project maritime power and fight back, Kyiv launched an asymmetric military campaign using domestically produced naval drones and missile strikes to harm Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet.
These operations damaged or destroyed dozens of Russian warships and forced Moscow to relocate the bulk of the Black Sea Fleet from its long-held headquarters in the occupied Crimean peninsula to the port of Novorossiysk on the other side of the region.
Russia has attempted to strengthen its defenses around the Black Sea, such as by adding more combat patrol aircraft to better monitor the area, but Ukraine has adapted to this by equipping its naval drones with surface-to-air missile launchers.
Russia’s July Storm exercise includes a host of other training scenarios, including anti-submarine, mine-laying, and missile strike operations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement carried by the defense ministry that “the Navy’s exercise is primarily designed to thoroughly train naval forces in repelling maritime attacks and performing the full range of extremely challenging and unconventional operational and tactical missions, and other tasks in a realistic simulated environment.”
Putin said that “the training incorporates experience gained during the special military operation,” using the Kremlin’s terminology for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
While the exercises might have been inspired by the Ukraine conflict, they are likely pointed at a potential clash between Russia and NATO, whose forces are increasingly training for naval drone warfare. The US Navy, for instance, has integrated new training scenarios designed to teach sailors how to survive this threat, which is appearing in more places.
Naval drone warfare has not been limited to the Black Sea. In the Red Sea, for instance, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have used these weapons to strike commercial vessels in their campaign against key Middle East shipping lanes.
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