Missile-toting drone boats blew up two Russian helicopters and damaged a third in a Black Sea skirmish. Why it matters: Ukrainian outlets said the shoot-downs were world firsts. Engagements like this — especially with video evidence — leave little room for drone warfare naysayers.

Ukraine has claimed that it’s successfully used uncrewed surface vessels (USV), better known as drone boats, to launch aerial drones against Russian targets for the first time. According to Ukrainian authorities,

As the Russia-Ukraine War enters 2025, drone technology will continue to evolve, with both sides increasingly incorporating swarm technology into their drone fleets.

Hard Cat, a Ukrainian drone maker, told Business Insider that the uncrewed drone, the Black Widow 2, can take out surface targets like small boats.