Group 13 (Ukraine)
| Group 13 | |
|---|---|
| Група 13 | |
 Group 13 insignia | |
| Founded | March 2022[1] |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Armed Forces of Ukraine |
| Type |  Unmanned Systems Forces |
| Role | Unmanned Surface Vehicle Operations |
| Size | Detachment |
| Part of |  Main Directorate of Intelligence |
| Motto(s) | Regit Undis |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Callsign: 13th |
The Group 13 (Ukrainian: Група 13) is a specialized unmanned systems vehicle unit of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. The unit is responsible for operating and maintaining unmanned surface vehicles especially MAGURA V5 for combat purposes and has sunk many Russian vessels in the Black Sea. It was established in its current form in 2022 but its lineage dates back to the Soviet Black Sea Fleet.
History
[edit]It saw intensive combat operations during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was able to destroy or damage over a dozen Russian ships including Ivanovets, Serhii Kotov and Admiral Makarov.[2] At least five vessels have been confirmed to be sunk by the group,[3] those being Ivanovets, Tsezar Kunikov, Serhii Kotov, Serna and Akula.[4] However, the group itself has claimed to have destroyed nine Russian vessels.[5]
2022
[edit]On 29 October 2022, Admiral Makarov was damaged in an attack on Sevastopol by several air and sea drones with at least one sea drone striking the ship, reportedly disabling the radar.[6][7][8] Satellite footage from 1 November showed Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates believed to include Admiral Makarov moored at Sevastopol.[9] Naval News subsequently reported that little damage had occurred to the warships that were hit by the sea drones, but the attack forced the Russian Navy going into a protective mode, "essentially locking them in port. New defenses were quickly added, new procedures imposed and there was much less activity. Russia's most powerful warships in the war [were by mid-November] mostly tied up in port."[10]
2023
[edit]In May 2023, Group 13 damaged Russia's newest reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs by three USVs.[11] On 1 August 2023, Sergey Kotov was unsuccessfully attacked by the group, three naval drones attacked the Black Sea Fleet patrol vessels Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov.
On 14 September 2023, Sergey Kotov was attacked and damaged by a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 unmanned surface vehicle (USV).[12] On 10 November 2023, the group's sea drones attacked and sunk two landing ships near Chornomorske.[13]
2024
[edit]On 1 February 2024, Ivanovets was attacked by Group 13 using MAGURA maritime drones.[14][15] The vessel sustained severe damage to her hull from the detonations from anti-ship missiles and sunk. Although Russia claims the crew was evacuated, the Russian defense ministry did not comment on reports of the ship sinking. The attack took place 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Donuzlav and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the village of Okunevka on the Black Sea coast.[16][17] The loss of the boat cost Russia between 60 and 70 million.[16]
On 14 February 2024, Ukrainian Armed Forces released a statement through Telegram that Group 13 had attacked the Tsezar Kunikov using MAGURA V5 unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) while the ship was off Alupka in Crimea.[18] Loud explosions were reportedly in the region, according to posts on social media.[19] In the statement, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine said, "Tsezar Kunikov received a critical breach on the port side and started sinking."[16] The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that Russian rescue operations were not successful and that they believe most of the crew of 87 did not survive.[19][20] On 5 March 2024, Sergey Kotov was struck and sunk by the group near Feodosia, Crimea, near the Kerch Strait and the HUR posted a video of the attack,[21] at least seven Russian sailors were killed in the strike.[22] In May 2024, it claimed to have sunk two Russian KS-701 landing vessels.[23]
On 31 December 2024, pilots of the group destroyed air targets for the first time using a Magura V5 destroying an Mi-8 and damaging another near Cape Tarkhankut in Crimea.[24][25][26]
Commanders
[edit]- Callsign "13th"
Equipment
[edit]| Type | Image | Origin | Purpose | Quantity | Production Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAGURA V5 | 
|
GUR
|
Surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling, search and rescue, mine countermeasures, maritime security, and combat missions.[27] | N/A | $273,000 |
References
[edit]- ^ Спецпідрозділ ГУР “Group 13” знищує російські кораблі. Відео
- ^ "Group 13 Is Hunters for russian Ships". gur.gov.ua. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ Ukraine war: The sea drones keeping Russia's warships at bay
- ^ What is Group 13, the Shadowy Ukrainian Unit That Keeps Sinking Russian Ships?
- ^ «Ми знищимо підводний човен, але пізніше». Нові цілі спецпідрозділу «Group 13» ГУР МО України
- ^ Harding, Luke; Koshiw, Isobel (30 October 2022). "Russia's Black Sea flagship damaged in Crimea drone attack, video suggests". www.theguardian.com. Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ Callaghan, Louise (29 October 2022). "Admiral Makarov: Russian naval base ablaze after flagship 'hit by massive drone attack'". The Sunday Times.
- ^ Andreikovets, Kostia (2022-11-02). "Satellites captured damaged Russian frigates in Sevastopol Bay. Probably, there was "Admiral Makarov" among them". babel.ua. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ Ship killers: Ukraine's mysterious Group 13 special forces unit terrorising Russian warships
- ^ Balmforth, Tom; Dysa, Yuliia (14 September 2023). "Ukraine attacks Russian warships in Black Sea, destroys air defences in Crimea". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ Meet the real-life 'Q': Mastermind behind Ukraine's sea drone warfare success
- ^ Cotovio, Vasco; Kesaieva, Yulia; Gigova, Radina; Edwards, Christian (1 February 2024). "Ukraine says it sank Russian warship off coast of Crimea and unleashed 'massive' missile barrage on peninsula". CNN. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Ataman, Joseph; Pleitgen, Frederik (5 February 2024). "A Ukrainian pilot outlines how drones powered by jet skis sunk a Russian warship". CNN. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ a b c Krutov, Mark (2 February 2024). "Кто проживает на дне океана. Атака на ракетный катер "Ивановец"" [Who Lives at the Bottom of the Ocean. Attack on the Missile Boat "Ivanovets"]. Radio Liberty (in Russian). Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ Koval, Sergery (1 February 2024). "A Russian missile boat was sunk off the coast of Crimea. What is known about it?". Крым.Реалии (in Russian). Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ Victoria Butenko; Christian Edwards; Alex Stambaugh (2024-02-14). "Ukraine says it has sunk another warship, disabling a third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet". CNN. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ a b Kirby, Paul (2024-02-14). "Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov sunk off Crimea, says Ukraine". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ "Цезар Куніков. ЗСУ кажуть, що потопили російський десантний корабель. Що про нього відомо і як реагують у Росії" [Tsezar Kunikov. The Armed Forces say they sank a Russian amphibious ship. What is known about it and how they react in Russia]. BBC (in Ukrainian). February 14, 2024. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (2024-03-05). "Як топили "сєрґєя котова" ― відео знищення патрульного корабля чф рф" [How the Sergei Kotov was sunk ― video of the destruction of the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship]. YouTube. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
The drone footage is available at Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Ukraine war: Kyiv says seven dead as drone attack sinks Russian ship
- ^ В результате операции ГУР в Крыму поражено 4 вражеских катера "Тунец", из них 2 уничтожены – ГУР МО
- ^ Ukrainian ‘Group 13’ Destroy Air Target With Magura V5 Drone For First Time
- ^ Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter with anti-air missile in first strike of its kind
- ^ Ukraine's Magura maritime drones destroy 2 Russian helicopters in Black Sea - DIU
- ^ "MAGURA V5 — новий український морський безпілотник" [MAGURA V5 is a new Ukrainian marine drone]. ITC.ua. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
