Drones meant for attack on Odesa explode before leaving Russian waters, Ukraine spy chief reveals

He shared the information with journalists during an award ceremony for participants of the Magura project, Ukrinform reported.

According to Budanov, Russian forces attempted to deploy their experimental naval drone models against targets in Pivdenne, but the drones detonated prematurely — still within Russian territorial waters.

“This happened in early June,” Budanov noted.

“They tried to use experimental models [of naval drones], but they failed. The drones detonated in their own waters and never even reached ours. According to our intelligence, they were heading for the city of Pivdenne, searching for targets there, but it ended in failure,” he said.

• The head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, together with a team of intelligence specialists, publicly presented for the first time a series of Magura strike naval drones capable of destroying Russian aircraft and ships.