Ukraine launches new high-powered sea drone to terrorise Russia’s Black Sea Fleet

Ukraine has unveiled a new high-powered version of its naval sea drones that have been used to devastating effect against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The new version, named Stalker 5.0, features a 60-horsepower speedboat engine and can carry explosive payloads of up to 150 kilograms.

Details of the unmanned vessel, which is five metres long and 1.2 metres wide, were first made public by Ukrainian officials at the Black Sea Security Forum.

It can travel at speeds of up to 40 knots (46mph) and has an operational range of around 372 miles – roughly enough to target the Kerch bridge between occupied Crimea and mainland Russia – officials said.

The drone is equipped with a Starlink satellite internet terminal that relays a live video feed back to its operator.

In addition to an explosive kamikaze mode, the Stalker 5.0 can be used for reconnaissance and coastal patrols, and can also deliver food, water, military and medical supplies to hard-to-reach locations.

Its logistical mode could play a particularly important role in helping Ukrainian marines hold the Krynky bridgehead on the right bank of the Dnipro River that has become increasingly hard to resupply using conventional boats.

The fast-evolving maritime drones have become one of the main successes of the efforts by Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion.

A combination of different unmanned vessels used by Ukraine’s SBU security services and its HUR military intelligence agency have forced the Russian navy to flee the Black Sea and allowed Ukraine to reopen a grain shipping corridor vital for the country’s economic survival.

But an explosive attack by the SBU on the Kerch Bridge remains one of the standout attacks of the maritime campaign.

When the SBU smashed its SeaBaby model into the crossing, it temporarily severed a key military supply route between Crimea and mainland Russia.

Since that strike in July 2023, new iterations of the drones have seen versions fitted with mobile grad rocket launchers used to bombard Russian coastal targets.

And in response, Russia has continued to build unconventional defences around the Kerch bridge, including floating booms and layers of netting that it hopes will prevent future Ukrainian drone strikes.