Daijiworld Media Network- Moscow

Moscow, Aug 29: In a major escalation of naval warfare, Ukraine’s reconnaissance ship Simferopol — reportedly the largest vessel commissioned by the country in over a decade — was sunk following a Russian sea drone strike in the Danube River delta on Thursday, the Russian Defence Ministry announced.

The Laguna-class ship, designed for radio, electronic, radar, and optical reconnaissance, was struck in Ukraine’s Odessa Region, marking Russia’s first successful use of a sea drone to destroy a Ukrainian naval vessel, Russian state media reported.

According to Ukrainian Navy officials, one sailor was killed while several others were injured in the attack. Search operations are underway for missing crew members, while most of the personnel onboard were safely evacuated. “Efforts to address the aftermath of the attack are ongoing,” a spokesperson confirmed.

The Simferopol, launched in 2019 and inducted into the Ukrainian Navy in 2021, was the largest ship built by Kiev since 2014, according to independent military sources.

Russia, which has recently accelerated production of unmanned systems, has increasingly relied on naval drones and UAVs in its offensive operations. The incident underscores the growing role of unmanned warfare in the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, Russian media also claimed that two missile strikes targeted a drone production facility in Kiev, which was reportedly preparing to assemble Turkish-made Bayraktar drones. Ukrainian politician Igor Zinkevich confirmed the overnight strikes.

The loss of the Simferopol marks a significant setback for Ukraine’s naval capabilities, even as both nations continue to intensify their reliance on drone warfare in the ongoing conflict.