When you hear naval power, you likely envision huge warships, missile-fitted fleets, and action straight out of a blockbuster. But Ukraine, amidst its battle against Russia, has written the book completely anew—instead of using big ships, it has used drones, creativity, and audacity.
In February 2022, when Russia began its full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s navy was hardly operational. Most of its ships had been lost in Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea, and Ukraine even sank its last major warship to deny it to the enemy. But rather than folding up at sea, Ukraine doubled down on innovation. With scarce resources and little time to lose, it set about creating a very new type of navy—one that centered on drones, both air and sea-based.
They were not toy drones. Ukraine’s sea drones then took center stage in an amazingly successful campaign in the Black Sea. When Russia attempted to blockade Ukrainian ports, the unmanned ships acted back so effectively that Russia’s Black Sea Fleet withdrew and even relocated its flagship ships far from occupied Crimea. One of the highlights was in August 2023, when Ukraine used unmanned surface drones to bomb Russia’s naval base at Novorossiysk, about 600 kilometers from Odesa. The bombing destroyed Russian ships, endangered no Ukrainian personnel, and made one thing obvious: nothing was off-limits.
The effects, however, have not been limited to the tactical. Ukrainian drones have had much larger roles—firing missiles, even shooting down Russian helicopters off the coast. As Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, Alex Bornyakov, has explained, the country’s strategy is driven by necessity. With fewer people and resources than Russia, Ukraine has doubled down on fast, adaptable tech to maximize its capabilities. That mindset led to one of the most remarkable milestones of this war: a naval drone shooting down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter.
The psychological effect has been just as significant. The Kerch Bridge, which was previously a symbol of Russian dominance and a vital supply line, has become a source of Russian nervousness and fear for Russian soldiers and civilians in Crimea. Following several successful strikes by Ukraine, including one by underwater drones and bombs placed months ahead of time, the bridge no longer seems invulnerable. As described by several sources, including the Security Service of Ukraine, the latest attack destroyed vital underwater supports, slashing Russian logistics while not risking civilians. These attacks have disabused Russia of the perception of invincibility it previously had in Crimea, causing thousands of Russians to flee and compelling Moscow to spend several billion on new fortifications.
What is most impressive is that this campaign is about so much more than machinery. Ukraine’s approach is to combine technology, Western arms, and good old-fashioned bravado. With drone strikes, missile salvoes, and commando operations, Ukrainian troops have systematically hit rich military assets along Crimea—airports, arms depots, and the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The moves have eroded Russian air defenses and diluted their grip on the peninsula. Russian state media, which normally thrives on spin, has struggled to counter, frequently resorting to silence rather than spin.
And the rest of the world is taking notice. As Center for a New American Security’s Samuel Bendett explains, Ukraine is revolutionizing the way navies think. By employing relatively affordable, off-the-shelf technology, Ukraine has demonstrated that even lesser powers can resist more powerful foes. It’s a lesson that extends far beyond the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is causing military leaders around the globe to rethink how they prepare for future war.
But most compelling of all may be the attitude behind it. In the words of Serhii Kuzan of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, the actual breakthrough isn’t technical—it’s human. It’s about individuals who envisioned possibilities in off-the-shelf technologies, who were not afraid to defy the norm, and who were unwilling to believe they were outgunned. Their combination of imagination, grit, and bravery has struck real blows against a greater foe—blows that are just as important symbolically as they are tactically.
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