A $400 FPV Drone has rewritten the rules of naval warfare. On August 28, 2025, Ukraine used a low-cost, first-person-view drone in a covert strike that disabled a Russian Buyan-M-class missile corvette more than 350 kilometers away, deep inside Russian-controlled waters.
The stunning operation not only neutralized one of Moscow’s most dangerous warships but also forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to retreat further east, shifting its operations away from Ukrainian waters.
A Historic Drone Strike
The targeted vessel, a Buyan-M-class corvette, was armed with eight Kalibr cruise missiles capable of striking targets over 2,500 km away. According to Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR), the drone first jammed the ship’s radar before striking its hull, causing significant damage and forcing it to withdraw.
One Ukrainian analyst emphasized the strategic blow:
“The Black Sea Fleet has suffered significant losses and is now unable to control maritime traffic or defend its base in Sevastopol.”
This was the first known FPV drone strike on a warship at such range, breaking Ukraine’s previous record of 42 km in May 2025, when a fiber-optic drone destroyed a Russian tank.
