Drone boats give Ukraine a cheap, 'asymmetric' edge against Russia and may have just damaged a key bridge
Ukraine's use of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), or drone boats, to carry out attacks on the Kerch Strait Bridge between Russia and Crimea has highlighted the effectiveness and low cost of these waterborne drones. The explosions that damaged the bridge on Monday were attributed to Ukraine's naval drones, and this is the second time the bridge has been targeted in less than a year. Ukraine has been crowdfunding the development of a naval drone fleet, which has given them an operational advantage against Russian ships. The use of USVs provides an asymmetric advantage for Ukraine, allowing them to stress Russian defenses at a low cost.
The attacks on the Kerch Strait Bridge raise questions about how Russia can effectively defend such a large asset. Defending against USVs operating in proximity to the bridge is challenging, and it is unclear where defenses should be placed and how to monitor the area continuously. Despite only partially damaging the bridge, the attack can be seen as a success for Ukraine, exploiting the vulnerability of the bridge and demonstrating the effectiveness of inexpensive USVs in carrying out such attacks