Russian Forces Sink Ukrainian Recon Ship Simferopol Using Unmanned Vessel

Russian forces struck a Ukrainian Navy reconnaissance ship, the Simferopol, the Russian Defence Ministry said. The vessel was spotted in the Danube River delta within the area of Russia's special military operation, and Russian troops targeted it using a high-speed unmanned boat (UAV). The ministry reported that the Ukrainian ship sank as a result of the attack. Unmanned Boats Make Combat Debut Voennaya Khronika (Military Chronicles) Telegram channel described the incident as the first successful destruction of a Ukrainian Navy vessel by Russian unmanned boats, calling it a "baptism of fire” for these drones. Analysts noted that with busy maritime traffic to Odessa, unmanned boats could continue to find targets, opening a new phase of naval warfare where Russian drones can not only respond to attacks but also deliver them proactively. About the Sunken Ukrainian Ship WarGonzo Telegram channel described the sunken Simferopol as an "extremely unlucky vessel,” representing the current state of the Ukrainian Navy. Originally a Soviet-built medium freezer trawler, the ship was converted in 2016 into a military reconnaissance vessel with a radio-technical intelligence station, a 30-mm gun, and Igla MANPADS. It was launched in Kyiv in April 2019 but suffered a fire on board in May and remained under repairs and testing until its destruction.