Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces successfully struck the Russian corvette Boikyi, armed with guided missiles, at the Kronstadt naval base in Russia’s Leningrad Oblast on June 3. This action follows broader confirmed Ukrainian strikes on military targets within Russia and Russian-occupied territories. The Boikyi has a notable history, including escorting Russian shadow fleet oil tankers. The attack occurred ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where an official from a former U.S. administration is scheduled to appear.
Read More
The Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine conducted an overnight operation on May 23, striking the Russian frigate Admiral Essen for the fourth time since early March. This latest attack, confirmed by the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, also targeted other Russian military and energy infrastructure, including a missile corvette and vital oil terminals and storage sites in Novorossiysk. Previous strikes on the Admiral Essen, occurring in March and April, reportedly damaged its superstructure, radar, and bow sections, potentially impairing its ability to sail independently. Novorossiysk has become a focal point for Ukrainian long-range strikes, combining its naval base with significant energy export facilities.
Read More
Special operations units from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have successfully targeted and damaged three Russian Navy warships in occupied Crimea, including large landing ships Yamal and Azov. The coordinated strike also impacted a communication system antenna block, a radar station, and fuel storage tanks at an oil depot. These operations, part of a broader campaign, aim to systematically degrade Russia’s logistics and military capabilities in the region. The SBU stated that such operations will continue to intensify until Russia loses its operational capabilities on Ukrainian territory.
Read More
A Russian cargo vessel, the Sinegorsk, was chased from British waters by a Royal Navy helicopter after anchoring near five transatlantic undersea data cables for 14 hours. The incident underscores the growing importance of protecting undersea infrastructure, which carries vast communication data. The vessel’s proximity to cables connecting Britain to the U.S., Canada, Spain, and Portugal raised concerns, particularly given its last recorded port call being the Russian Navy’s headquarters. This event follows reports of Russian vessels surveilling and mapping undersea cables, indicating increased vigilance is needed to safeguard critical infrastructure.
Read More
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) conducted a special operation resulting in a naval attack in the port of Novorossiysk. Underwater drones, “Sub Sea Baby,” were deployed to detonate a Russian 636.3 “Varshavyanka” class submarine, causing critical damage and rendering it inoperable. The submarine, which housed four Kalibr cruise missile launchers, is estimated to cost up to $500 million. This operation, a joint effort between the SSU and the Naval Forces of Ukraine, further hindered Russia’s naval capabilities.
Read More
The Ukrainian Navy successfully employed a suicide drone to strike an elite Russian special forces unit on the Sivash drilling rig in the Black Sea, which Russia had seized in 2014 and equipped with surveillance systems. Following the strike, Russian propagandists attempted to portray the incident as a victory, while the Ukrainian HUR destroyed Russian air defense facilities in occupied Crimea, including a S-400 Triumph air defense control point and radar systems. Espanyola, a Russian naval detachment formed in 2024 with ties to private military companies, was also operating in the area near the rigs. The Ukrainian military continues to carry out special operations in the area.
Read More
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made light of a recent incident involving the Russian submarine Novorossiysk, which was forced to surface off the coast of France due to a malfunction. The submarine, identified by NATO naval forces, was reportedly being towed by a tugboat, indicating potential damage. Rutte mocked the vessel’s condition, referencing the lack of Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean and comparing the situation to a search for a mechanic rather than a threatening presence. While Russia claimed a scheduled transit, reports suggested the submarine suffered a fuel leak, leading to its surfacing and necessitating redirection for repairs under NATO supervision.
Read More
NATO Chief’s pointed remarks about a “broken” Russian submarine and Moscow’s swift denial, paint a picture of Cold War-era tension, but with a distinctly modern, almost sarcastic, flavor. The core of the story revolves around the surfacing of the Russian diesel-powered submarine Novorossiysk off the coast of France, a move Russia attributed to adhering to navigation regulations in the English Channel. However, the incident, coupled with the NATO chief’s – let’s just call him Mark – wry commentary, has set off a wave of speculation and, frankly, a good dose of amusement.
When you hear that a nation, especially one with a history like Russia’s, is claiming compliance with navigation rules, a certain level of skepticism is almost automatic.… Continue reading
Ukrainian Special Operations Forces successfully struck the Russian small missile ship “Grad” in Lake Onega, Republic of Karelia on October 4th. The strike targeted the right section of the ship’s engine compartment. The “Grad,” commissioned in December 2022, was en route from the Baltic Sea to the Caspian Sea and is equipped with the Kalibr-NK missile system. This operation followed other strikes on Russian facilities reported by the General Staff of Ukraine.
Read More
The Ukrainian Navy successfully targeted a key communications hub utilized by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea on September 11th. This facility, the 184th Research and Experimental Base, served as a crucial node for managing Russian naval operations and was situated near an airfield used by Russian forces. The strike damaged the communications hub, which previously specialized in hydrodynamic testing. This attack followed a prior strike on September 10th by Ukrainian drones that hit the Russian Aerospace Forces’ Center for Deep Space Communications in Vitino, also in occupied Crimea.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood