Meet Ukraine’s small but lethal weapon lifting morale: unmanned sea drones packed with explosives

Uncrewed, remote-controlled boats have been around since the end of World War II. Late last century, technological innovations broadened their potential uses. Lethal, advanced sea drones developed and deployed by Ukraine in its war with Russia have opened a new chapter in that story. Ukraine claims it is the first country to set up a specific unit dedicated to producing them, in a top-secret operation, and the first to deploy the new weapon exclusively in attacks by sea. The 2-year-old conflict has become a laboratory for military technology, and naval drones are set to become an essential part of the combat toolbox in 21st-century warfare.