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Ukraine Plans Create Fleet of Unmanned Surface Vessels

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Photo for illustration / Defense News - Turkish ULAQ
Photo for illustration / Defense News - Turkish ULAQ

Next week, Ukraine will launch a new fundraising campaign on the United24 platform – raising money to purchase a fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs, or marine drones)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in his evening address to the nation.

"Next week we will launch another fundraising campaign – we will be raising funds for a fleet of marine drones.

Read more: ​Mysterious Unmanned Surface Vehicles Attack russia's Black Sea Fleet's Main Base
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

I think absolutely everyone understands what this is and what it is needed for, and I am sure that millions of people will support this campaign in our defence. Everyone has already seen how it works. And this is only to protect our own maritime area; we do not claim anything that does not belong to us."

Details Zelensky noted that during the six months in which the United24 charitable giving platform has been operating, almost US$220 million has been received in donations from millions of people from more than a hundred countries.

Explosions were reported in occupied Sevastopol on 29 October as Russian ships allegedly "repelled a drone attack".

An unmanned craft washed up on a beach in Russian-occupied Crimea in September 2022. Image via Telegram.
An unmanned craft washed up on a beach in Russian-occupied Crimea in September 2022. Image via Telegram.

Investigators from GeoConfirmed said that at least three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were hit by USVs on 29 October, including the flagship Admiral Makarov.

The Institute for the Study of War has suggested that the attack was carried out by Ukraine.

Following the strike on ships of its Black Sea Fleet in occupied Sevastopol, Russia announced that it would be withdrawing from the Grain Initiative, but later changed its mind.

Read more: ​Investigators Say Russian Admiral Makarov Frigate Was Likely Hit in Sevastopol on Saturdays Drone Attack