Ukraine launched another attack on Russian strategic bombers on June 3, following the incident of attacking a bridge connecting mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula with underwater explosives. Russia refers to this bridge as the Kerch Bridge. This marks the third attack on the bridge by Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. It is highly likely that a large suicide submarine was used in this attack, making it potentially the first combat use of an underwater unmanned vehicle in history.
In this operation, the Ukrainian Security Service detonated 1100 kilograms of explosives, causing damage to the bridge. The extent of the damage caused by the explosion is still unclear. The Kerch Bridge was briefly closed for about 4 hours in the morning, but resumed normal traffic in the afternoon, indicating that the explosion did not cause significant damage to the bridge.
As early as 2023, Ukraine announced the underwater unmanned vehicle project called “Marichka.” Marichka, with a length of about 6 meters, has multiple compartments inside, allowing it to execute a variety of missions as needed, ranging from suicide attacks to cargo delivery or reconnaissance. It is said to have a range of over a thousand kilometers, capable of silently lurking underwater, patiently waiting for the optimal attack opportunity until triggered by a timer or signal.
The main differences between these suicide unmanned submarines and traditional torpedoes lie in their range and speed. Suicide unmanned submarines typically have long ranges but slower speeds, with completely different guidance methods. Torpedoes generally use sonar detection, wire guidance, and high speeds, reaching up to over 50 knots, but have a range of only a few tens of kilometers. Suicide unmanned submarines are equipped with GPS antennas, thermal imagers, and autonomous navigation systems, with a speed of less than 10 knots, enabling them to operate covertly in the Black Sea, presenting Russia with another nightmare-like weapon.
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