Ukraine's Sea Baby naval drones struck Russian helicopters and aircraft in Kerch Bay – video

Ukraine’s Security Service deployed Ukrainian-made Sea Baby naval drones in a special operation in Kerch Bay in Crimea on the night of 5–6 December.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) on Telegram

Details: According to the SSU’s 13th Main Directorate of the Military Counterintelligence Department, Russian pilots were themselves planning to carry out an operation but became targets of the Ukrainian operation instead.

У ніч з 5 на 6 грудня група морських дронів СБУ "Sea Babу" вступила в бій з російськими гелікоптерами, літаками та патрульними катерами "Раптор", які намагалися їх перехопити.

Відео : СБУ pic.twitter.com/35sf4JpNSv — Українська правда ✌ (@ukrpravda_news) December 9, 2024

Ukrainian naval drones, armed with large-calibre machine guns with automatic guidance, returned fire when the Russians launched their attack.

An intercepted conversation between Russian soldiers suggests that Russian troops sustained significant personnel losses, with killed and injured on board the helicopters targeted by the Ukrainian attack and serious damage to the aircraft, which will now require extensive repairs.

Ukrainian drones also struck a barge transporting military equipment and equipment for the repair of the Crimean Bridge, which the Russians are still trying to rebuild after previous attacks by Ukrainian special services.

Quote: "Sea Baby is our multitarget platform, which can accommodate different types of weapons: multiple-launch rocket systems, aerial drones and large-calibre machine guns. The main thing is that it has once again proved its effectiveness. The outcomes of our work are actually much more extensive than what we can disclose now, but that will come in due course."

Background:

• On 22 May, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told Ukrainska Pravda that Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones have been fitted with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems. The upgraded drone had already been tested, killing Russian soldiers on the Kinburn Spit.
• On 23 May, Vasyl Maliuk, Head of Ukraine's Security Service, confirmed that Sea Baby uncrewed surface drones had been fitted with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), and that Ukraine's Defence Forces had already hit four Russian ships with the upgraded drone.

Reference: Sea Baby uncrewed surface drones were developed by Ukraine's Security Service. During 2022-2023, SSU drones attacked the Russian frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen, as well as the minesweeper Ivan Golubets, the patrol ship Ladny, the missile carriers Samum and Buyan, the patrol ship Pavel Derzhavin, the multipurpose tugboat Professor Nikolai Muru, and the large hydrographic survey ship Vladimir Kozitsky.

A Sea Baby can carry 850 kg of explosives, accelerate to 90 kph, and cover a distance of 1,000 km. Its body is made of a material that radar cannot detect.

Each Sea Baby drone costs UAH 8.5 million (approx. US$213,000).

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