Naval Systems

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones

Also known as
  • Ukrainian sea drones
  • Ukrainian naval drones
  • Ukrainian maritime drones
  • Ukrainian kamikaze sea drones
  • Ukrainian USVs
  • unmanned surface vessel
  • uncrewed surface vessel

Ukrainian explosive naval drones are low-profile unmanned surface vessels developed during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War to extend Ukrainian strike reach in the Black Sea. The family includes DIU-linked MAGURA V5 craft and SBU-linked Sea Baby craft, with later configurations adding rocket or missile armament beyond the original one-way explosive attack role.

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones, Explosive unmanned surface vessel, Naval Systems
Image source: Ukrainian marine drones.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Ukraine
Type
Explosive unmanned surface vessel
Service note
2014 Russia-Ukraine War, 2022-present
Designer
Ukrainian defense-industry and state-security development programs
Designed
Disclosed publicly from 2022-2023
Unit cost
Sea Baby fundraising price listed by United24 as USD 221,000 per drone
Produced
2022-present
Number built
Undisclosed

Specifications

Crew
Uncrewed; operated remotely with autonomous or semi-autonomous navigation modes depending on variant
Payload
MAGURA V5 disclosed with about 300 kg explosive payload; Sea Baby listed with up to 850 kg combat load
Range
MAGURA V5 reported at about 800 km operational range; Sea Baby listed at up to 1000 km
Speed
MAGURA V5 reported at up to 42 knots; Sea Baby listed at up to 90 km/h
Dimensions
MAGURA V5 reported as 5.5 m long and 1.5 m wide; Sea Baby listed as 6 m long and 2 m wide
Guidance
Manual control through wireless mesh or satellite communication, with autonomous options described for MAGURA V5
Family Split

The public labels cover more than one Ukrainian maritime-drone line. This table separates the best documented branches so readers can scan which organization, role, and public evidence attach to each one.

LineDocumented operatorPublic roleSource-backed distinction
MAGURA V5, Unmanned surface vessel, Naval SystemsMAGURA V5Defence Intelligence of Ukraine / Group 13Explosive USV; later missile-armed adaptationDIU credits MAGURA drones with Black Sea attacks including Ivanovets and Sergey Kotov, and later reported an R-73-armed helicopter engagement.
Sea Baby USV, Naval unmanned surface vehicle, Naval SystemsSea Baby USVSecurity Service of UkraineLong-range maritime strike USVSBU and United24 sources identify Sea Baby as an SBU craft with a heavy combat load and Black Sea strike role.
Grad-armed Sea Baby drones, Rocket-armed unmanned surface vessel, Aircraft & UAVsGrad-armed Sea Baby dronesSecurity Service of UkraineSea-launched rocket configurationReporting tied the Grad-equipped Sea Baby fit to strikes against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit.

Source labels used here: Naval Drones of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Dominate the Black Sea; Sea drones are a unique SBU development; This is Battleship; Source: SBU has a new weapon - Grad-equipped Sea Baby drones; Historic Strike with a MAGURA V5 Naval Drone.

Variants

Open sources use overlapping public labels for Ukrainian naval drones. The rows below separate the cataloged DIU and SBU systems from later armed configurations.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
MAGURA V5, Unmanned surface vessel, Naval SystemsMAGURA V5DIU unmanned surface vessel

A Ukrainian USV publicly associated with SpetsTechnoExport and DIU operations, documented in explosive anti-ship attacks and later R-73-armed helicopter engagements.

Sources: Media Reveal Magura V5, the Ukrainian Naval Drone: Features and Specifications, Naval Drones of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Dominate the Black Sea, Historic Strike with a MAGURA V5 Naval Drone

Sea Baby USV, Naval unmanned surface vehicle, Naval SystemsSea Baby USVSBU long-range strike USV

An SBU-developed Sea Baby craft documented in attacks on maritime infrastructure and naval targets, with United24 listing a 1,000 km class range and heavy combat load.

Sources: This is Battleship, Sea drones are a unique SBU development, Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black Sea

Grad-armed Sea Baby drones, Rocket-armed unmanned surface vessel, Aircraft & UAVsGrad-armed Sea Baby dronesRocket-armed Sea Baby configuration

A Sea Baby configuration reported with Grad rocket armament for coastal-strike missions, distinct from the baseline explosive payload role.

Sources: Source: SBU has a new weapon - Grad-equipped Sea Baby drones

Earlier Ukrainian explosive boat designsPre-standardized USV designs

Public reporting before the named MAGURA V5 and Sea Baby brands described Ukrainian explosive boat designs more generically; available sources do not support treating them as a single named model.

Documented Armed Configurations

Later Ukrainian naval-drone configurations show the family expanding from one-way explosive attack craft into armed unmanned surface platforms.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
BM-21 Grad, 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, ArtilleryBM-21 Grad122 mm multiple rocket launcher

Ukrainian reporting cited an SBU source saying Sea Baby drones were fitted with Grad launchers and used against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit.

Sources: Source: SBU has a new weapon - Grad-equipped Sea Baby drones

Vympel R-73 short-range air-to-air missile, Short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missile, MunitionsVympel R-73 short-range air-to-air missileShort-range air-to-air missile

DIU reported an upgraded MAGURA V5 armed with R-73 missiles in the December 2024 helicopter engagement near Cape Tarkhankut.

Sources: Historic Strike with a MAGURA V5 Naval Drone

Timeline

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones Key Events

  1. Sea Baby attacks disclosed

    The SBU described Sea Baby as its own development and linked the craft to the July 2023 Crimean Bridge attack and strikes on Russian naval targets including Olenegorsky Gornyak and the SIG tanker.

    Sources: Sea drones are a unique SBU development

  2. MAGURA V5 appears at IDEF

    MAGURA V5 was publicly presented during the IDEF 2023 exhibition window, giving the DIU-associated branch of Ukraine's naval-drone family a visible export-style designation.

    Sources: Naval Drones of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Dominate the Black Sea, Media Reveal Magura V5, the Ukrainian Naval Drone: Features and Specifications

  3. Ivanovets sunk

    DIU said six MAGURA naval drones struck the Russian missile boat Ivanovets, after which the vessel sank in the Black Sea.

    Sources: Kyrylo Budanov: 'Ivanoviets' Was Sunk by Six MAGURA Naval Drones

  4. Sergey Kotov destroyed

    DIU reported that Group 13 used MAGURA V5 drones to damage and sink the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov near the Kerch Strait.

    Sources: 'sergei kotov' Enemy Warship Destroyed

  5. Sea Baby modular upgrade shown

    Associated Press reporting showed an upgraded Sea Baby line with longer range claims and configurations beyond a simple explosive boat, including armed variants.

    Sources: Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black Sea

Media

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones Videos

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones Images

Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones, Explosive unmanned surface vessel, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Stamp of Ukraine s2086.jpg
Ukrainian Explosive Naval Drones, Explosive unmanned surface vessel, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: MI-8 targeted by Magura V5.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Sea Baby USV, Naval unmanned surface vehicle, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsSea Baby USVNaval unmanned surface vehicleSea Baby is a Ukrainian naval unmanned surface vehicle developed and operated by the Security Service of Ukraine for long-range strike missions in the Black Sea. Official and open-source reporting shows it evolving from an explosive one-way attack craft into a modular USV family with mine-laying, Grad rocket, and KPV/KPVT machine-gun configurations, while Ukrainian sources describe a 1,000-kilometer baseline range and a later 1,500-kilometer class upgraded generation.
Palianytsia, Long-range rocket drone / missile-drone, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsPalianytsiaLong-range rocket drone / missile-dronePalianytsia is a Ukrainian turbojet missile-drone developed during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War to give Ukraine a domestically produced long-range strike option against Russian military targets. Ukraine first disclosed it after a successful August 2024 use, later described Palianytsia as hitting Russian ammunition depots in repeated cases, and has released public specifications showing a ground-launched booster, inertial and satellite navigation, a 100 kg payload, and a 650 km class range while keeping inventory and detailed strike attribution limited.

Sources

This is BattleshipPublisher: United24 | Note: Official Ukrainian government fundraiser page identifying Sea Baby as an SBU product and listing dimensions, speed, range, combat load, and unit fundraising price. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Media Reveal Magura V5, the Ukrainian Naval Drone: Features and SpecificationsPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports MAGURA V5 background, SpetsTechnoExport disclosure context, payload, range, control methods, and multipurpose mission description. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Naval Drones of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Dominate the Black SeaPublisher: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for MAGURA unmanned marine vehicles and lists multiple Black Sea attacks attributed to DIU naval drones. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Kyrylo Budanov: 'Ivanoviets' Was Sunk by Six MAGURA Naval DronesPublisher: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for MAGURA V5 in the February 2024 Ivanovets attack. | Accessed: 2026-06-29'sergei kotov' Enemy Warship DestroyedPublisher: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for MAGURA V5 in the March 2024 Sergey Kotov attack near the Kerch Strait. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black SeaPublisher: Associated Press | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for SBU Sea Baby drones targeting Russian shipping and infrastructure in the Black Sea. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Sea drones are a unique SBU developmentPublisher: Security Service of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for SBU Sea Baby drones, including the Crimean Bridge attack and strikes on Olenegorsky Gornyak and the SIG tanker. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Source: SBU has a new weapon - Grad-equipped Sea Baby dronesPublisher: The Kyiv Independent | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by reporting an SBU source's statement that Grad-equipped Sea Baby drones had already been used against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Historic Strike with a MAGURA V5 Naval DronePublisher: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine context for the R-73-armed MAGURA V5 engagement against a Russian Mi-8 helicopter near Cape Tarkhankut on 31 December 2024. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Ukrainian marine drones.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the Sea Baby image used as the primary image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Stamp of Ukraine s2086.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the Ukrainian stamp artwork depicting MAGURA V5. | Accessed: 2026-06-29MI-8 targeted by Magura V5.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a MAGURA V5 still frame used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-29