For the first time, Ukrainian drones attacked Russian warships in the Caspian Sea

On November 6, Ukrainian forces launched an unprecedented attack on Russian warships stationed in the Caspian Sea, which was a new demonstration of Kiev's expanding long-range strike capabilities.Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security released footage of the attack on social media, announcing that Ukrainian forces had expanded their "strike zone" by targeting the Russian Caspian Fleet in Kaspiysk, a port city located hundreds of miles from the active front line.

Video footage provided by the Ukrainian government appears to show the moment a drone descends on its target. Anti-aircraft fire is audible in parts of the footage, indicating Russian attempts to repel the attack.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Department for Countering Disinformation within the National Security and Defense Council, confirmed the strikes in Kaspiysk via Telegram, sharing additional footage. Business Insider, however, reported it could not immediately verify the authenticity of the material.

Sergey Melikov, governor of Russia’s Dagestan region, wrote on Telegram that air defenses intercepted one drone over the Caspian Sea. He assured locals that investigations were underway and requested that residents refrain from posting images or videos that could aid the enemy.

Though Ukraine's armed forces have not officially claimed responsibility for the operation, Ukrainian media linked it to a mission by the military intelligence unit, HUR, alleging that the assault had inflicted damage on two Russian missile ships in port.

This strike marks a fresh setback for the Russian navy, which has faced sustained losses in the Black Sea. Over recent months, Ukraine has routinely employed domestically produced missiles and naval drones to target Moscow’s fleet.

Despite lacking a conventional naval fleet, Ukraine’s asymmetric warfare strategy has, over the past two years, pressured Russia to reposition its Black Sea Fleet from its Crimean Peninsula headquarters toward safer waters closer to Russian territory. A senior U.S. Defense official recently noted that in defending its waters, Ukraine has incapacitated or destroyed at least 32 medium- and large-sized Russian vessels.

Alongside maritime operations, Ukraine has increasingly developed long-range strike capabilities to hit ground targets deep within Russian territory. In recent weeks, Kiev has utilized domestically manufactured drones to strike multiple high-value military sites, including ammunition storage facilities and airfields.