Ukraine's biggest Magura sea drone, the V11, stays at sea for a week and carries other drones

Ukraine has unveiled a new uncrewed naval vessel called the Magura V11, described as the largest model built so far in the Magura family of sea drones. It marks a clear departure from earlier Magura drones, which have functioned as one-way strike boats — vessels that travel to a target and are destroyed on impact.

The V11 is designed for a different purpose. Rather than ramming enemy ships, it is built to remain at sea for extended periods, staying operational for up to seven days at a time. During that time, it acts as a forward base for other, smaller drones, which it deploys far offshore.

A shift in naval drone strategy

This design represents a change in how Ukraine approaches uncrewed naval warfare. Where earlier efforts focused on single-use strike missions, the V11 is built for sustained presence at sea, supporting the operations of other unmanned systems at greater distances from shore.

In practice, this could mean smaller drones no longer need to travel the full distance from port to their operational area on their own — they can instead be carried and released closer to the target zone by the V11, which functions as an intermediate platform. Such an approach could extend the operational reach and flexibility of Ukraine's uncrewed naval forces while reducing reliance on expendable, single-use strike vessels.

No further technical details — such as the V11's dimensions, armament, or specific deployment plans — were disclosed in available information. The concept described nonetheless points to Ukraine's continued push to develop more versatile and durable sea drone capabilities as the naval drone war in the Black Sea continues.