Murmansk presents contributions to drone war
A company based in the premises of an abandoned shipyard near downtown Murmansk says it has started production of "a new generation of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs)."
Russia is not typically known for its development of new technology, and the far northern Murmansk region is, by most people, seen as nothing more than a major raw material producer and host of the Northern Fleet.
In its war of aggression against Ukraine, the country relies heavily on Soviet-era technology and tech supplies from China.
It is no wonder, then, that many locals raised their eyebrows when they saw a new sea drone on display outside the so-called Centre for Scientific and Technological Creativity in downtown Murmansk this week.
The vessel, about five metres long, was equipped with a GPS antenna and a communication antenna. Apparently, it also had a radar, a camera or optical sensor, as well as a control unit. On its stern was a 100 hp electric outboard motor.
The USV carries the company logo of Kolskaya Verf (Kola Yard). The company, established in 2024, is based in the premises of the abandoned Murmansk Shipyard and plans to become a major producer of unmanned surface vehicles.
At a recent weapons expo, the company had at least two vessels on display. In addition to the model on public display in Murmansk, there is a hydrofoil USV.
According to propaganda news media Izvestia, the latter is made of aluminium and has a wing-folding mechanism that allows it to operate both as a hydrofoil and a regular vessel.
The USV is developed by the Kola Shipyard in cooperation with the ELVO Research and Production Association.
Reportedly, the project is the only domestically made hydrofoil USV and represents a "new generation" of sea drones.
"The calculations and modelling of the craft have been completed, and construction of the first full-scale prototype is underway," Izvestia reported. Sea trials are reportedly set to start shortly.
In May 2026, the Kolskaya Shipyard won a state grant for the construction of a new shipbuilding workshop for the production of small vessels. The facility is to be built on the shores of the Kola Bay in Murmansk, company Director Sergei Shapovalov said.
"We hope to carve out a niche for ourselves in the market for sports and leisure craft by offering high-quality, reliable solutions and products," he said in an interview with the Corporation of the Far East and Arctic, a grant organisation.
In their war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russians are rapidly adopting technology and weapons developed by Ukraine and its partners and subsequently making Russian analogues.
Hydrofoil USVs are under development by several companies around the world, including in the UK and Norway.
Ukraine has become a world leader in developing drone technology, including at sea. With the use of unmanned surface vehicles, the country has managed to destroy and paralyse major parts of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
