Military expert and volunteer assisting Russian special military operation fighters Alexey Zhivov said British-Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels are already creating a threat to Russia in the Mediterranean Sea. In his assessment, such systems could eventually appear in the Far East as well if Kiev receives assistance from Japan.

Zhivov noted that these unmanned boats are being developed by the British jointly with the Ukrainian side and are equipped with a multi-layered communications system. According to him, the main channel remains Starlink, which allows the vessels to operate far from Ukrainian territory. If they have enough fuel, they can be used not only in areas such as Greece or Turkey, but theoretically even near Kamchatka. The expert stressed that such systems have not yet approached that area from the Japanese side, but this does not mean such a scenario is impossible in the future.

Zhivov sees a separate danger in the fact that unmanned surface vessels can be used as an ambush tool. According to him, such a vessel can be deployed to a designated area in advance, switched off and left in cover — for example, near an island or in a coastal zone. Then, when a target of interest passes nearby, including a tanker from the so-called shadow fleet, the vessel can be reactivated and directed to attack.

The very presence of Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, the expert called alarming. In his view, Ukraine is effectively turning into one of the main international pirate forces, which is unacceptable for Russia given the budget’s dependence on raw materials trade. Zhivov recalled that a significant share of raw materials exports moves by sea routes, meaning that threats to shipping directly affect Russian economic interests.

Speaking about possible countermeasures, Zhivov said it would not be possible to chase every individual unmanned surface vessel. In his opinion, the fight should target not only the systems themselves, but also those involved in their development, production and operation. The expert allowed that such measures could also concern manufacturers located in unfriendly states if they take part in creating such systems.