Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsapliyenko published a video that allegedly filmed an attack on ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in Sevastopol using autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicles (AUVs). The authenticity of the video has not yet been confirmed, it was also published by the Ukrainian media and the Telegram channel associated with the Wagner PMC.
Local "governor" Mikhail Razvozhaev said that air defense systems in Sevastopol repelled drone attacks for several hours, all of them were allegedly shot down, and a surface drone was also destroyed, there was no damage. The same was reported by the Ministry of Defense, specifying that only the minesweeper "Ivan Golubets" was damaged.
The shooting published by the Ukrainian side refutes this information. The video shows the approach of the AUV to the Project 11356P frigate Burevestnik (probably the Admiral Makarov frigate, the de facto flagship of the Black Sea Fleet after the sinking of the Moskva cruiser), the Project 775 BDK and the 1171 Tapir BDK. The video also shows a strong explosion, what exactly exploded is still unknown.
At the end of September, the Russian media published information about the destruction of an "enemy floating drone" with a photograph of one in the area of Abramov Bay near the Navy base – this is in the immediate vicinity of Omega Bay, where today, October 29, there was a massive five-hour attack on ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.
In August, it was reported that the UK would send six underwater drones to Ukraine to help detect mines in coastal waters. The British Ministry of Defense said that the lightweight autonomous vehicle is designed for use in shallow coastal conditions and works effectively at depths of up to 100 meters to determine the location of mines.
What type of AUV was used in the Black Sea is still unknown. Its exact characteristics are not yet available. Judging by the photo of the AUV caught in September, there are several sensors in its upper part. The main ones are a mast-mounted camera and an infrared forward vision device. This is likely the main sensor for steering and situational awareness. Behind the camera is a flat antenna, possibly for navigation and / or communication, writes military expert H.I. Sutton. The expert also suggests the presence of a warhead. It is these AUVs that were most likely used to attack Russian ships in Sevastopol, Sutton writes .
