The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has donated one of its legendary Sea Baby maritime surface drones to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. This particular drone is known for having struck 11 Russian naval vessels and played a key role in damaging the Crimean Bridge during the full-scale invasion.
According to the SSU, the drone belongs to a class of reusable unmanned vehicles that return to base after completing combat missions.
The showcased Sea Baby successfully carried out several missions, covering over 4,000 kilometers across the Black Sea. Notably, it engaged in combat with Russian aircraft in December 2024. Although it sustained significant damage, it completed its objectives and returned to base. Due to the extent of the damage, the drone is no longer operational, and it has now been fully secured and transferred to the museum.
Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych of the SSU’s military counterintelligence described the Sea Baby as a unique innovation, surpassing global analogs in reliability, technology, and versatility.
Since 2022, SSU-developed surface maritime drones have evolved from experimental kamikaze models into multi-purpose sea platforms — fast, stealthy, and capable of carrying over 1,000 kg of explosive payload over distances of up to 1,000 kilometers.
The Sea Baby drones have taken on various missions in the Black Sea, from remote-controlled mine-laying operations to direct attacks on military targets and illegally constructed infrastructure in occupied Crimea.
According to SSU head Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, these drones have fulfilled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s goal of ending Russia’s naval dominance in the Black Sea.
“This invention forced Russia to hide most of its warships in Novorossiysk Bay and enabled Ukraine to reopen the grain corridor,” said Yurii Savchuk, Director of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. “I’m confident this exhibit will be extremely popular — everyone will want to touch a piece of modern history created by real heroes.”
The SSU also reminded that the newest Sea Baby models are equipped with heavy-caliber machine guns, ballistic auto-aim systems, and target-locking capabilities, enabling them to engage in direct combat with Russian aircraft.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, the Sea Baby platforms now feature artificial intelligence systems, allowing them to dodge enemy fire and retaliate against Russian helicopters and tactical aircraft flying at low altitudes.
Source: Legendary Sea Baby drone that struck Crimean bridge now on display in Kyiv museum
