Ukraine Conducts First Fully Unmanned Amphibious Raid at Kinburn Split

Key Points:

• The Ukrainian 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade conducted the first fully automated amphibious raid in wartime history at the Kinburn Split, using unmanned surface, ground, and aerial vehicles to carry out the operation.
• The raid involved a Ukrainian-made Rys unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) being transported by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to a beach, where it engaged enemy positions while being monitored by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
• Although the outcome of the raid and whether the target was occupied by Russian forces remain unknown, the operation demonstrated Ukraine's capability to pressure Russian positions and possibly test defenses on the Kinburn Split.
• Recent Ukrainian drone strikes and partisan reports indicate that Russian forces on the Kinburn Split have suffered supply shortages, leading to withdrawals and making the area vulnerable to further Ukrainian amphibious operations.
• This operation signals a potential shift in amphibious warfare, as unmanned combat systems increase risks for traditional amphibious assaults by enabling defenders to observe and strike landing forces remotely, potentially rendering conventional amphibious landings obsolete on modern battlefields.