A mysterious ship widely believed to be a Ukrainian suicide drone has washed up near a Russian naval base.
The ship was found in Omega Bay, near the port of Sevastopol, home of that of Vladimir Putin Black Sea Fleet.
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The drone is believed to be one of several donated to Ukraine by the United States to turn the tables Russian navy.
How it ended up on the rocks at Omega Bay remains a mystery, but it remains intact, indicating a mechanical failure.
Sevastopol rented by the Russians from Ukraine for Vladimir Putin’s illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, where it is located.
Although the interior is not depicted, submarine expert HI Sutton believes the “curved design, with external reinforcement, suggests a warhead.”
“Going further, one theory is that this device was designed to ram and detonate another ship, like a modern interpretation of an explosive boat,” he writes in Navy news.
“This also explains the cluster of sensors on the bow.”
He said the ship “appears to have slipped past Russian Navy patrol boats”.
Sutton described the drone as “small but purposeful” and is powered by a single motor, mounted on board, that drives a steerable jet of water.
“This suggests relatively high performance. It is made for speed,” he added.
“And such a small vessel, about the size of a kayak, would probably have a very small radar signature.”
Sevastopol was the target of Ukrainian aerial drones in August with huge plumes of black smoke rising from the base as tourists watched in horror,
It is known that the naval headquarters received a direct hit when a drone exploded on the roof.
The Russians have claimed the ship was destroyed after it was captured, though an explanation is considered unlikely unless intelligence already knows.
Ukrainian special operators are known to carry out water strikes in southern Ukraine, so the ship may have been on a surveillance mission when it washed ashore. reports The Drive.
What was described as “unmanned coastal defense craft” was part of a military aid package for Ukraine that the Pentagon announced in April.
“It is an unmanned surface ship that can be used for various purposes in coastal defense,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at the time.
“I think I’ll leave it at that.”
By the war, Ukrainian fighters have used relatively cheap drones to wreak havoc with Russia.
In March, a team of amateur drone users claimed they managed to destroy Russia’s 40 miles infamous “death convoy” tanks and armored vehicles in a series of ambushes.
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