Satellite imagery published by Ukraine's Navy showed the Izumrud wrecked alongside a quay wall, confirming the Russian FSB patrol ship was destroyed.
Ukraine said a Sargan-3000 uncrewed maritime system struck the vessel near Novorossiysk, killing and wounding crew members, though no casualty count was released.
The 2014-launched Izumrud was a second-rank border patrol ship about 62.5 meters long, displacing 630 to 750 metric tons and equipped with a helicopter landing pad.
Its loss adds to Ukraine's widening Black Sea campaign, which recently hit two Mangust patrol boats and helped drive more than 50 tankers and cargo ships out of the Sea of Azov after 105 vessels were struck in eight days.
Can Ukraine's drone swarms permanently neutralize Russia's entire Black Sea naval power?
With its sea routes severed by drones, is occupied Crimea on the brink of a logistical collapse?
Ukraine’s Naval Drone Offensive: The Sinking of Izumrud and the Strategic Impact of Over 100 Russian Vessels Hit in the Black Sea
Overview
On July 14, 2026, Ukraine used its Sargan-3000 sea drone to strike and destroy the Russian FSB border patrol vessel Izumrud near Novorossiysk. The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the attack with satellite images, marking a major loss for Russia’s maritime security. The Izumrud, built in St. Petersburg and active since 2015, was previously involved in the 2018 seizure of Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait. Its sinking highlights Ukraine’s growing use of advanced naval drones to weaken Russian naval power, disrupt logistics, and shift the balance in the Black Sea region.