Ukraine Plans to Change Its Tactics for Using Maritime Drones – Business Insider

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are developing a new concept for the use of unmanned maritime vehicles in the Black Sea, shifting their focus from purely offensive missions to law enforcement functions. Instead of destroying ships carrying sanctioned goods, the drones are planned to be used to intercept and escort them. 

This was reported by the international analytical publication Business Insider, citing an official comment from the commander of the relevant unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, whose call sign is “Ninth.”

According to the military intelligence representative, the new strategy involves intercepting oil tankers and grain carriers in violation of sanctions, followed by towing or escorting them to designated Ukrainian ports for the lawful confiscation of property and cargo in accordance with international law. If civilian crews refuse to comply with the drones’ demands, other coercive measures will be applied against them. 

This functional upgrade was made possible by the technical retrofitting of the domestic maritime drone “Katran” and other similar platforms, which were equipped with machine guns and surface-to-air missiles, transforming them from single-use fire ships into multi-purpose patrol systems. The commander emphasized that this civilized approach will allow shipping companies to be warned in advance of inspections and is significantly more humane than completely sinking ships on the high seas.