On August 29, 2025, Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk confirmed that the intelligence ship Simferopol was hit in the Danube Delta by a Russian high-speed unmanned surface vessel (USV). The attack killed two sailors, injured several, and left some crew members missing, while most were safely evacuated. Russian sources claimed the ship had sunk, but Ukrainian officials could not immediately confirm its status.
Simferopol (A505), equipped with the Melchior passive radio intelligence system, could detect and track up to 200 maritime, aerial, or coastal targets at ranges of 450 km. Measuring 54.8 meters in length with a 1,220-ton displacement, the vessel carried a crew of 29 and had been operational since 2021, serving as one of Ukraine’s few dedicated electronic intelligence platforms.
The strike represents Russia’s first confirmed operational use of a naval drone, signaling a new phase in uncrewed maritime warfare. On the same day, Ukrainian forces reported damaging a Russian Buyan-M missile ship with aerial drones and assault craft. The loss of Simferopol significantly reduces Ukraine’s coastal intelligence-gathering capabilities, limiting its ability to monitor enemy fleets, track electronic emissions, and maintain situational awareness in contested maritime zones.
