Hi everyone!
On August 28, Russia launched its first successful naval drone strike inside the Danube, targeting the Ukrainian reconnaissance vessel Simferopol in a carefully planned attack 200 meters from the Romanian border. The strike took place on the Chilia branch of the Danube, approximately 200 meters (0.11 miles) from the river border between Romania and Ukraine and 24 kilometers (14 miles) from the Black Sea entrance to the Danube.
*Map source: New Strategy Center
The Russian strike by an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) capsized the Simferopol—a key Ukrainian intelligence-gathering ship—demonstrating Moscow’s rapid advances in USV capabilities. An analysis of the attack by the New Strategy Center in Romania concluded that the Russian navy can now operate naval drones in inland waters, bypass natural barriers and maritime borders, and directly threaten Romania’s critical economic lifeline to the Black Sea through its Danube ports, which are vital not only to Romania but also to Ukraine for its grain exports via the strategic waterway.
The Danube attack carries serious implications for naval warfare and should give NATO and the EU cause for concern, highlighting the challenge of protecting critical infrastructure in the Danube, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea.
Our online discussion examined these aspects, their implications for the Baltic and Black Sea regions (sometimes known as the 2Bs), and how the new Russian USV threat could affect the US Navy, particularly through Russian support for its regional allies in Iran and Yemen.
Joining us in our online discussion were:
George Scutaru, CEO, the New Strategy Center, Bucharest Romania and former National Security Adviser to the President of Romania
Admiral Ihor Kabanenko, Ukrainian Navy (ret) who is a former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine and is a Senior Fellow at the Saratoga Foundation
Andrii Ryzhenko, Captain Ukrainian navy (retired)
Dr. Steven Wills who currently serves as a Navalist for the Center for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States.
Glen Howard, President and Chairman of The Saratoga Foundation moderated the event.
Enjoy!
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