Ukraine Unveils Next-Gen Sea Drone Capable of Destroying Ships and Aircraft

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) has officially presented its latest maritime weapon, the Magura V7 unmanned surface vehicle (USV), marking a new era in modern naval warfare, The Gaze reports.

The advanced sea drone, developed and operated by DIU, has already proven its combat effectiveness in the Black Sea, where various Magura models have struck 17 Russian sea and air targets — 15 of which were destroyed.

“Thanks to ‘Maguras’ and other sea drones, a doctrinal shift has already taken place. There’s a well-known phrase that Ukraine managed to destroy nearly a third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet — even though Ukraine has no fleet. But I would say: this is the fleet. The modern fleet of the 21st century,” said a DIU official at the unveiling.

The DIU confirmed that in the two years since the start of their deployment, Magura drones have destroyed key targets including:  two Mi-8 helicopters, two Su-30 fighter jets, and large Russian Black Sea Fleet ships. The total estimated damage inflicted on Russian forces exceeds $500 million.

The Magura V7 is a next-generation upgrade over its predecessor, the Magura V5. Designed for all-weather, round-the-clock operations, it is resistant to enemy electronic warfare (EW) and is equipped with multi-channel satellite communications. 

With Magura’s introduction, Ukraine has effectively rewritten the rules of naval warfare — using compact, remotely operated craft to dismantle a traditional, large-scale fleet.

As The Gaze previously reported, on May 2, 2025, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (DIU) carried out a groundbreaking military operation: for the first time in global military history, a manned combat aircraft was destroyed by a Magura sea drone.