finance
Ukraine Tests Naval Drones That Can Tow or Sink Shadow-Fleet Ships
Business Insider reported that a Ukrainian commander is developing a system for naval drones to detain commercial vessels in the Black Sea. The change aims to seize ships carrying sanctioned goods under international law instead of destroying them.
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Ukrainian forces are developing a system to allow naval drones to detain and tow commercial vessels suspected of carrying sanctioned cargo in the Black Sea rather than sinking them. Business Insider reported that Ninth, a commander in Ukraine's GUR intelligence agency identified only by his call sign, said a new system is being developed for the Katran drone his unit operates.
Its purpose is to detain and tow the vessels into port.
"If they comply, they will be escorted to a designated port where the vessel and cargo can be seized under international law," Ninth said. " The Katran began as an explosive strike boat and has been modified to include machine guns and surface-to-air missiles. It is developed by the Ukrainian enterprise Military Armored Company HUB.
Ukraine began attacking ships in Russia's shadow fleet with naval drones in late November 2025. Ninth said the targeted ships transport stolen goods, sanctioned oil, or weapons. Ninth described a scenario in which some drones would secure a ship's deck and detain its crew while others control the airspace.
He said Ukraine could sink a noncompliant vessel within seconds if needed. "The ability to test such concepts in the conditions of today's Black Sea represents an enormous technological leap forward," Ninth said. "What we are discussing is not a single drone.
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