Ukrainian brigade deploys naval drone and ground robot in assault on Kinburn Spit

Ukraine's 123rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade carried out a fully robotic amphibious assault on Monday, sending a naval drone across the Black Sea to deploy an uncrewed ground vehicle on the Kinburn Spit. The naval drone reached the coast behind Russian lines at the end of the Kinburn Peninsula, directly west of Kherson, and released the ground robot equipped with a mounted machine gun.

Video footage released by the brigade shows the robot firing at an unidentified target after reaching shore.

Ukraine stated that the operation was the first known fully robotic amphibious assault mission and the first known combat mission of its type. Insider reported that the brigade remotely guided the naval drone to the position. The Kinburn Spit has been described by Ukrainian officials as a key strategic foothold for Russian forces seeking to restrict maritime access to the Black Sea.

The brigade did not identify the specific robotic platforms used or the mission objective. Ukraine has previously deployed naval drones against Russian Black Sea Fleet ships and uncrewed ground vehicles on front-line missions. In April, Ukrainian forces cleared Russian-held territory using only ground robots and drones for the first time.

Insider reported that the operation merges the two systems, with Ukrainian drone manufacturers now focusing on low-cost vehicles that can be produced in large numbers.