Ukrainian drones destroy Russian radar, supply depots on Black Sea gas platforms, SBU says
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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has destroyed a Russian radar system and warehouse facilities located on gas production platforms in the Black Sea using a coordinated drone strike, the agency said on May 19.
According to the SBU, the operation was carried out by the 13th Main Directorate of its Military Counter-Intelligence Department. The mission involved a combination of aerial and naval drones targeting Russian military infrastructure placed on Ukrainian offshore drilling rigs.
An aerial drone allegedly first struck one of the platforms, followed by a naval drone that delivered a secondary hit. The attack destroyed a Russian "Neva" radar system used for monitoring aerial and surface activity, as well as supply storage and living quarters on the platform, the SBU reported.
"In a single special operation, our specialists used two types of drones that proved highly effective when working in tandem," the agency said.
The SBU noted that the attack is part of an ongoing effort to clear the Black Sea of Russian military presence and equipment. Previous SBU naval drone operations have reportedly targeted the Crimean Bridge and 11 Russian warships.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
The SBU traditionally uses its Sea Baby drones for operations in the Black Sea, while military intelligence (HUR) deploys the Magura naval drones.
In early May, Ukraine shot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets using air-to-air missiles fired from Magura-7 naval drones and two Russian Mi-8 helicopters in December 2024.
The Magura drones also sank the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov on March 5, 2024, and the landing ship Caesar Kunikov on Feb. 14, 2024.
As of 2024, Ukraine was reportedly able to destroy or disable one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in a drone and missile campaign, despite Moscow's significant advantage in sheer naval power.
