{"id":33189,"date":"2026-06-30T15:58:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T12:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/?p=33189"},"modified":"2026-07-07T17:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T14:50:09","slug":"sea-drones-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Naval drones became a game-changer in the Black Sea. Now European countries are waiting for a chance to buy them"},"content":{"rendered":"        <div class=\"wp-block-thdfndr-audio is-minimalist\">\n            <audio src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-eng.mp3\" class=\"thdfndr-native-node\" style=\"display: none;\" preload=\"metadata\"><\/audio>\n            <div class=\"thdfndr-audio-wrapper\">\n                \n                <button class=\"audio-play-control\" aria-label=\"Play Audio\">\n                    <span class=\"audio-play-icon-wrapper\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\"><path d=\"M19.376 12.4161L8.77735 19.4818C8.54759 19.635 8.23715 19.5729 8.08397 19.3432C8.02922 19.261 8 19.1645 8 19.0658V4.93433C8 4.65818 8.22386 4.43433 8.5 4.43433C8.59871 4.43433 8.69522 4.46355 8.77735 4.5183L19.376 11.584C19.6057 11.7372 19.6678 12.0477 19.5146 12.2774C19.478 12.3323 19.4309 12.3795 19.376 12.4161Z\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                    <span class=\"audio-meta-text\">\n                        <span class=\"audio-label-listen\">Listen<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"audio-duration-node\" data-unit=\"min\">(&#8211;)<\/span>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                \n                <div class=\"audio-volume-container\">\n                    <div class=\"audio-volume-slider-wrapper\">\n                        <input type=\"range\" class=\"audio-volume-slider\" min=\"0\" max=\"1\" step=\"0.05\" value=\"1\" aria-label=\"Volume Level\">\n                    <\/div>\n                    <button class=\"audio-volume-trigger\" aria-label=\"Volume\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\"><path d=\"M2 16.0001H5.88889L11.1834 20.3319C11.2727 20.405 11.3846 20.4449 11.5 20.4449C11.7761 20.4449 12 20.2211 12 19.9449V4.05519C12 3.93977 11.9601 3.8279 11.887 3.73857C11.7121 3.52485 11.3971 3.49335 11.1834 3.66821L5.88889 8.00007H2C1.44772 8.00007 1 8.44778 1 9.00007V15.0001C1 15.5524 1.44772 16.0001 2 16.0001ZM23 12C23 15.292 21.5539 18.2463 19.2622 20.2622L17.8445 18.8444C19.7758 17.1937 21 14.7398 21 12C21 9.26016 19.7758 6.80629 17.8445 5.15557L19.2622 3.73779C21.5539 5.75368 23 8.70795 23 12ZM18 12C18 10.0883 17.106 8.38548 15.7133 7.28673L14.2842 8.71584C15.3213 9.43855 16 10.64 16 12C16 13.36 15.3213 14.5614 14.2842 15.2841L15.7133 16.7132C17.106 15.6145 18 13.9116 18 12Z\"\/><\/svg>\n                    <\/button>\n                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">News about the success of Ukrainian sea drones has appeared regularly since the segment emerged in 2022. These systems helped Ukraine push Russia&#8217;s fleet out of the Black Sea and are now being used to strike vessels belonging to Moscow&#8217;s shadow oil fleet and attack enemy military positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given these results, it is hardly surprising that the technology has attracted the attention of Ukraine&#8217;s allies. Kyiv now openly says that <a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/tags\/sea-drones\/\">sea drones <\/a>are among the categories of unmanned systems it is prepared to export due to excess production capacity. European countries increasingly view them as a potential alternative to expensive and vulnerable conventional naval fleets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The market itself remains relatively unexplored. We spoke with Denys Kanin, director of the Association of Sea Drones, to better understand the industry&#8217;s leading manufacturers, end users and future prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Ukraine&#8217;s sea drone sector was born<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The driving force behind the creation of Ukraine&#8217;s sea drones is widely considered to be Ivan Lukashevych, a brigadier general in the Security Service of Ukraine&#8217;s military counterintelligence department known by the callsign &#8220;Hunter&#8221;. The project was developed jointly by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Ukrainian Navy and the military intelligence agency HUR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In September 2022, the team carried out the first sea drone operation against Russia&#8217;s Black Sea Fleet. While the mission did not achieve its intended objectives, Ukraine followed it a month later with a combined attack involving aerial drones and USVs against Sevastopol Bay. Two large Russian warships suffered significant damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sea drones subsequently struck a number of Russian vessels and, in 2023, damaged the Crimean Bridge linking the occupied peninsula with Russia. The operation was carried out using the<a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2025\/10\/ssu-new-sea-baby-generation\/\"> Sea Baby<\/a> drone developed by the SBU.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/photo_2025-10-22_12-00-07-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\u0414\u0440\u043e\u043d Sea Baby (\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e: \u0421\u0411\u0423)\" class=\"wp-image-33159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/photo_2025-10-22_12-00-07-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/photo_2025-10-22_12-00-07-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/photo_2025-10-22_12-00-07-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/photo_2025-10-22_12-00-07.webp 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sea Baby drone (Photo: SSU)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 2023, the constant threat posed by Ukrainian sea drones forced Russia to relocate much of its Black Sea Fleet to Novorossiysk, approximately 400 km further to the East. As later events would show, Ukrainian drones were capable of reaching targets there as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mr. Kanin notes that Sea Baby is not currently a commercial product, as it remains an internal programme of the Security Service of Ukraine. By contrast, he describes Magura, developed by UForce in cooperation with HUR, as one of the leading candidates for future exports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defence tech company <a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/tags\/uforce\/\">UForce <\/a>is headquartered in the United Kingdom and has Ukrainian roots. Its leadership includes serial entrepreneur Oleh Rohynskyi, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksii Honcharuk and former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. Earlier this year, the company raised $50 million in funding and is now valued at approximately $1 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using Magura drones, Ukrainian intelligence introduced swarm attack tactics. Throughout 2024, these operations resulted in the sinking of the Russian missile corvette Ivanovets, landing ship Caesar Kunikov and patrol vessel Sergey Kotov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-align-left wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/03\/uforce-unicorn\/\"><strong>Read more:<\/strong> Magura drones manufacturer raised $50 million and became a unicorn<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Magura drones were later used not only against naval targets but also against aircraft. In 2025, Ukrainian operators achieved a world first by shooting down two Su-30 fighter jets using weapons launched from a sea drone. Earlier, a Sea Baby drone had also downed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter using a 12.7mm machine gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a result, sea drones have evolved from expendable kamikaze systems into fully fledged combat platforms. They are now used as carriers not only for missiles but also for FPV drones and interceptor drones. In 2026, Ukraine&#8217;s Unmanned Systems Forces shot down a Shahed drone for the first time using <a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/04\/nemesis-intercepts-shahed\/\">an interceptor launched from an USV.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sea Baby has also been fitted with a Grad multiple-launch rocket system, which has been used against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit. The Security Service of Ukraine has additionally documented the first successful combat use of the underwater variant, Sub Sea Baby, which was employed in an attack on the Russian submarine Varshavyanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"568\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-1024x568.jpg\" alt=\"Sea Baby drone specs (Infographic: AI)\" class=\"wp-image-33194\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:contain\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-1024x568.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-768x426.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-1536x852.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sea-baby-infographic-2048x1136.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sea Baby drone specs (Infographic: AI)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having largely driven Russia&#8217;s warships from the Black Sea, Ukrainian sea drones have increasingly turned their attention to the shadow oil fleet that Moscow uses to circumvent sanctions. Tankers have been struck in the Black Sea and reportedly in the Mediterranean as well. Ukraine rarely claims responsibility for such operations. However, in April 2026, the Ukrainian Navy announced that two USVs had successfully attacked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/navy.mil.gov.ua\/posts\/pfbid0RrMCtBvEQn9H36JoPrtYY9Gqnj86XqV7SKMUVxEswhWxVJastdFeL8VVFuSNUU6xl?rdid=VQ1ogemmwLHODifo#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">the sanctioned vessel MARQUISE<\/a> while it was drifting 210 kilometres from Tuapse, which is 170 km south to Novorossiysk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many companies produce sea drones and who uses them<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukraine currently has between 20 and 25 companies producing surface and underwater drones. Kanin gives an approximate figure because some smaller manufacturers do not operate continuously due to a lack of orders. The number rises to between 25 and 30 if systems designed exclusively for maritime use are included, such as launchers for R-73 and AIM-9 missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most production is concentrated in two companies: UForce, which manufactures the Magura family of drones, and Scorpaena, producer of the Sargan platform. Another major player is Military Armored Company HUB, which developed the <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/zedigital\/5619\">Katran <\/a>sea drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Details of Katran were first revealed by Mykhailo Fedorov in March 2025. The platform can be equipped with torpedoes, a minigun, machine guns, man-portable air-defence missiles and other weapons. As a result, it can engage maritime, ground and aerial targets while also conducting reconnaissance missions. The drone has a range of more than 1,000 kilometres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"483\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-1024x483.jpg\" alt=\"Comparison of Magura drone specs (Infographic: AI)\" class=\"wp-image-33192\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:contain\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-1024x483.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-300x142.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-768x362.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-1536x725.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/magura-drones-comparison-en-2048x966.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Comparison of Magura drones specs (Infographic: AI)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kanin also highlights Naval Industries, the developer of the Dolphin drone. It was from this platform that the Nemesis Brigade launched an interceptor that shot down a Russian Shahed drone in April 2026. Although the company only entered serial production in 2025, it is now rapidly expanding manufacturing capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the best-known underwater drone manufacturers is Toloka. The company&#8217;s product line includes autonomous underwater vehicles ranging from 2.5 metres to 12 metres in length. These systems can be used for logistics and reconnaissance missions, while some variants are suitable for strike operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In early May 2026, Toloka <a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/05\/toloka-raised-investments-from-network-vc-defense\/\">secured investment<\/a> from NETWORK.VC DEFENSE, which will be used to develop new technologies, scale production and expand into foreign markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Many people think the market is already saturated and divided between established players. In reality, new companies continue to emerge, operate and achieve success. We are also seeing new end users appear, such as the sea drone divisions within the Unmanned Systems Forces,&#8221; Kanin says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to him, the Unmanned Systems Forces are likely to become the largest users of sea drones in the near future. The 412th Nemesis Brigade has already established a USV division, while similar units are being formed within other brigades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, HUR and the SBU have been among the most active operators of sea drones, although they now communicate less publicly about their successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ukrainian Navy remains another major user and is simultaneously working on countermeasures against Russian USVs. Special Operations Forces also conduct targeted maritime operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"552\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1-1024x552.webp\" alt=\"\u0414\u0440\u043e\u043d Katran (\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e: MAC HUB)\" class=\"wp-image-33173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1-1024x552.webp 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1-300x162.webp 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1-768x414.webp 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1-1536x828.webp 1536w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/katran-x3_1.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Katran drone (Photo: MAC HUB)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How are preparations for exports progressing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking about arms exports, HUR chief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kyrylo.budanov.official\/posts\/pfbid05EiLTVxouTn3kEtTqD5LCFHYZEkVKPZKHw4MFc9eNRVxLdiJWuuuAPFEaknAKFqXl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Kyrylo Budanov<\/a> has previously argued that only systems available in sufficient surplus should be exported, with sea drones being one such category. According to Kanin, the surplus exists not because of a shortage of targets, but because of insufficient funding to procure larger numbers of drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;If we take the standard trio \u2014 Magura, Sargan and Sea Baby \u2014 prices start at around $250,000 per unit,&#8221; he says. The Ukrainian government cannot afford to purchase large quantities of these systems, while manufacturers have already expanded production capacity and are ready to build more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For allied countries, the appeal of sea drones lies partly in their ability to reduce the cost of maintaining naval forces. Unlike warships, sea drones require minimal crews and maintenance while costing only a fraction of a conventional vessel. By comparison, the US Congress has estimated that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/crs-product\/IF11679?__cf_chl_f_tk=iFwB6Q6yGlNyAxn7ENu0iev_PCTp0mCe6HWQgDHv.Is-1782811980-1.0.1.1-XC31HCuyEsAvymiuuVnxwkG5EjkcyF0eQrlfCGvIwEE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">next-generation destroyer<\/a> could cost around $4.4 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Countries have also taken note of the growing vulnerability of traditional fleets, where a relatively inexpensive drone can destroy a vessel worth many times more<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\u0414\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0441 \u041a\u0430\u043d\u0456\u043d (\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e: DIH)\" class=\"wp-image-33155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_1_dennis-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Denys Kanin (Photo: DIH)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interest in Ukrainian sea drones is strongest among Northern European nations, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the United Kingdom. There is also interest from the United States and Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Potential applications under consideration include sea-based short-range air defence systems, patrol vessels equipped with radar systems, and drones designed to counter illegal migration and drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several companies are currently obtaining export licences. These plans include both direct sales and joint production arrangements under which Ukraine would receive a share of the manufactured drones in exchange for technology and expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What comes next for the sector<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We will definitely see torpedo-armed variants in one form or another,&#8221; Kanin predicts. Ukraine has so far avoided using torpedoes due to their high cost, but local developers are actively searching for cheaper alternatives. At present, sea drones are already being used as launch platforms for missiles and deep-strike operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kanin also expects continued growth in the underwater drone segment. Besides <a href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/tags\/toloka\/\">Toloka<\/a>, several other Ukrainian companies are developing capabilities in this field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, underwater systems remain significantly more complex and expensive than surface drones. An inertial navigation system capable of operating underwater can cost between $150,000 and $200,000 on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"816\" src=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-1024x816.jpg\" alt=\"Comparison of Toloka drones specs (Infographic: AI)\" class=\"wp-image-33196\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-1024x816.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-300x239.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-768x612.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-1536x1224.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/toloka_underwater_drones-2048x1632.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Comparison of Toloka drones specs (Infographic: AI)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interest from international partners is equally strong. &#8220;In almost every request we receive from allied countries, Toloka is mentioned alongside Magura and Sea Baby,&#8221; Kanin says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the longer term, sea drones may also find civilian applications. Instead of hiring armed security teams to protect merchant vessels from piracy, shipping companies could deploy autonomous systems for defence. Although, as Kanin notes, pirates will likely begin using sea drones as well. The only question is who gets there first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unmanned surface vessels have evolved from kamikaze drones into full-fledged combat platforms capable of shooting down aircrafts and Shahed drones, as well as striking enemy positions on land<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":33153,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","_featured_category_order":0,"_article_badge":"featured","footnotes":""},"categories":[28,32],"tags":[1645,1488,369,1385,2313,2366],"class_list":["post-33189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecosystem","category-innovation","tag-magura","tag-sea-baby","tag-sea-drones","tag-toloka","tag-uforce","tag-uuv","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Defender Media\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DefenderMediaUA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1149\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Oleksii Tucha\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@DefenderMediaUA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@DefenderMediaUA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Oleksii Tucha\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Oleksii Tucha\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5f8e368aa7e2405d30098841f40a8e50\"},\"headline\":\"Naval drones became a game-changer in the Black Sea. Now European countries are waiting for a chance to buy them\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1626,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"magura\",\"sea baby\",\"sea drones\",\"toloka\",\"uforce\",\"unmanned undersea vehicles\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Ecosystem\",\"Innovation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/\",\"name\":\"How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00\",\"description\":\"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp\",\"width\":2400,\"height\":1149,\"caption\":\"DIH Naval Forge Demo Day (\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e: DIH)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/sea-drones-story\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"\u0413\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0430\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Naval drones became a game-changer in the Black Sea. Now European countries are waiting for a chance to buy them\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"DEFENDER\",\"description\":\"Defence Tech\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Defender Media\",\"alternateName\":\"Defender Media\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/cropped-ico.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/cropped-ico.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Defender Media\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/DefenderMediaUA\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/DefenderMediaUA\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/defender-media\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/t.me\\\/DefenderMedia\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5f8e368aa7e2405d30098841f40a8e50\",\"name\":\"Oleksii Tucha\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Oleksii Tucha\"},\"description\":\"In journalism since 2020. Wrote news for the PlayUA portal, was a correspondent for local television, worked as a journalist and headed the editorial office of the Sumy online magazine Cukr. Before Defender Media, he was the author and head of the tech editorial office at LIGA.net.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/oleksiitucha\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thedefender.media\\\/en\\\/author\\\/oleksii-tucha\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview","description":"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview","og_description":"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.","og_url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/","og_site_name":"Defender Media","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DefenderMediaUA","article_published_time":"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2400,"height":1149,"url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Oleksii Tucha","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@DefenderMediaUA","twitter_site":"@DefenderMediaUA","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Oleksii Tucha","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/"},"author":{"name":"Oleksii Tucha","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5f8e368aa7e2405d30098841f40a8e50"},"headline":"Naval drones became a game-changer in the Black Sea. Now European countries are waiting for a chance to buy them","datePublished":"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/"},"wordCount":1626,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp","keywords":["magura","sea baby","sea drones","toloka","uforce","unmanned undersea vehicles"],"articleSection":["Ecosystem","Innovation"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/","url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/","name":"How many companies produce sea drones in Ukraine: interview","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp","datePublished":"2026-06-30T12:58:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-07T14:50:09+00:00","description":"Defender Media spoke to the director of the Sea Drones Association about the history of sea drones, pricing, exports and production volume.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dih-naval-forge_day_2_demo1.webp","width":2400,"height":1149,"caption":"DIH Naval Forge Demo Day (\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e: DIH)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/06\/sea-drones-story\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u0413\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0430","item":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Naval drones became a game-changer in the Black Sea. Now European countries are waiting for a chance to buy them"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/","name":"DEFENDER","description":"Defence Tech","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#organization","name":"Defender Media","alternateName":"Defender Media","url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-ico.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-ico.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Defender Media"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DefenderMediaUA","https:\/\/x.com\/DefenderMediaUA","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/defender-media\/","https:\/\/t.me\/DefenderMedia\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5f8e368aa7e2405d30098841f40a8e50","name":"Oleksii Tucha","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d331ae20609f52d97a8f96b2300bd17717423332cedc5d4e1ab12f5cb0ad95?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Oleksii Tucha"},"description":"In journalism since 2020. Wrote news for the PlayUA portal, was a correspondent for local television, worked as a journalist and headed the editorial office of the Sumy online magazine Cukr. Before Defender Media, he was the author and head of the tech editorial office at LIGA.net.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/oleksiitucha\/"],"url":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/author\/oleksii-tucha\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33189"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33224,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33189\/revisions\/33224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}