Ukrainian minister vows more drones for strikes on Russian warships

Ukraine will be able to conduct more drone attacks on Russian warships, a Ukrainian minister who has played a key role in building the country’s drone industry said in an interview after a recent series of sea raids.

“There will be more drones, more attacks, and fewer Russian ships. That’s for sure,” Digital Transformation minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Friday (15 September), answering a Reuters question about recent attacks near Crimea.

This week, Ukraine has made several attacks using sea drones and missiles on Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet in and around the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

Ukraine attacks Russian warships in Black Sea, destroys air defences in Crimea

Ukraine said on Thursday (14 September) it attacked two Russian patrol ships and destroyed a sophisticated air defence system in the west of occupied Crimea, ramping up its strikes to challenge Moscow’s dominance in the Black Sea region.

In a sign of growing confidence, Ukraine has recently claimed responsibility for attacks on Crimea, having previously not directly confirmed involvement in blasts at military targets there.

Russia has acknowledged a Ukrainian missile attack that damaged a warship and a submarine this week, but says it has repelled all sea drone attacks.

On Thursday, Fedorov posted a grainy video on social media that appeared to be filmed from a vessel heading towards a much larger warship, followed by an explosion.

He said at the time that attack was the work of Ukrainian systems paid for by funds from a government-run crowdfunding platform that raises money for equipment including drones.

Fedorov also said Ukraine’s aerial drone production had increased by over 100 times in 2023 from last year.

“I think it’ll be an increase of around 120 to 140 times by the end of this year, if you compare it to the previous one.”

Testing AI systems

According to the minister, Ukraine is testing AI systems that can locate targets several kilometres away and guide drones to them even if external communications are disrupted by electronic warfare measures.

“We need AI, for instance the technology for finding targets, just like how the Lancet (a Russian drone) operates, so that a target can be located under electronic warfare and destroyed.”

“At the moment it’s all at the testing stage, but some drones we are buying use AI to recognise targets. In a forest, it can detect a target and recognise whether it’s a person, tank, or a certain vehicle. These technologies are being used actively.”

Russia says it thwarted drone attack on Crimea

Russia’s air forces thwarted a coordinated Ukrainian attack on Crimea early on Sunday, destroying at least six drones that were targeting the peninsula from different directions, the Russian defence ministry said.

Two drones were destroyed at 1:15 a.m. (2215 GMT Saturday) off the western coast of Crimea and four more half an hour later off the northwestern and eastern coasts, the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

The ministry did not say whether there was any damage or casualties. Reuters could not independently verify the report and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

The number of attacks deep inside Russia and far from the front lines has increased, with Moscow’s mayor and the Russian defence ministry saying early on Sunday that a drone was destroyed in the Istra district in the Moscow region.

According to preliminary information, there were no injuries or casualties from the falling drone debris in Istra, Moscow’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian TASS state news agency reported that at least 24 flights were delayed at Moscow’s major airports – a frequent move by aviation authorities during drone strikes on the capital.

Zelenskky to meet Biden

The United States expects to announce additional aid to Ukraine next week, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, while announcing President Joe Biden would host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday at the White House.

Zelenskyy, who will attend the 78^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, is expected to meet with congressional leaders from both political parties while he is in Washington.

Reuters, citing three US officials, reported on Monday that the US is considering shipping Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) that can fly up to 190 miles (300 km), or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles with a 45-mile (70-km) range packed with cluster bombs, or both systems.

Ukraine could get long-range missiles armed with US cluster bombs

The Biden administration is close to approving the shipment of longer-range missiles packed with cluster bombs to Ukraine, giving Kyiv the ability to cause significant damage deeper within Russian-occupied territory, according to four US officials.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for ATACMS to help attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases and rail networks in Russian occupied territory.

But a source familiar with the situation said the US does not plan to announce ATACMS for Ukraine during Zelenskyy’s visit.