The commander of the naval detachment of the “Black Sea Legion” within the GUR of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine’s “Ferrata” special unit, callsign “Ninth,” revealed in an exclusive interview with journalist Jenny Klochko the key principle behind the active operations unit: the effective combination of modern technologies, robotic equipment and artificial intelligence with the direct involvement of experienced special forces operators. According to the intelligence officer, the unit’s task at the current stage is to “destroy the enemy,” and to do so it is necessary to synchronize all available means of combat application, including drones, AI systems and human personnel.
“The most important rule that young futurists forget”
“Ninth” emphasized that there is a fundamental principle often overlooked by developers and operators of unmanned systems: “a place where no human foot has stepped is not liberated.” In his words, this phrase should become the motto for everyone involved in the production and application of drones. The detachment commander explained that this is precisely why the “Black Sea Legion” advocates the full synchronization of robotic equipment, technologies, various devices used in combat operations, artificial intelligence and human involvement — special forces with experience and skills. In his assessment, none of these components on its own is capable of ensuring full control over a territory.
Testing new systems for crewless platforms
During the interview, “Ninth” reported that testing is underway of a new system for crewless platforms which, in his words, will allow fighting the aggressor even more effectively. The specific technical characteristics of the system are not disclosed; however, the very fact of the trials confirms the GUR’s course of continuously improving the arsenal of naval and ground unmanned complexes. The intelligence officer also noted that the aggressor state is simultaneously developing its own crewless naval complex projects, making the technological race at sea one of the key directions of the confrontation.
Why the “kamikaze” technology is already outdated
The naval detachment commander separately addressed the topic of the modern war at sea. In particular, he stated that the “kamikaze” technology — that is, single-use self-destructing unmanned vessels — is already outdated. This means that the “Black Sea Legion” and other GUR units are moving on to more complex, multifunctional and controllable platforms capable of performing tasks not only of striking a target, but also of reconnaissance, holding positions and supporting combat operations. Such an approach, in turn, requires qualified operators and commanders, which brings us back to the main thesis about the irreplaceability of the human in the combat loop.
“We are already the legends of this war”
Concluding the interview, “Ninth” listed a number of GUR units which, in his opinion, have already become symbols of resistance: “Group 13,” the “Black Sea Legion,” “Timur’s Special Unit,” “Artan,” “Shamanbat” and others. “I clearly understand that at present we are all already the legends of this war,” the intelligence officer stated. He emphasized that many fighters of these units are making an invaluable contribution to the defence of the country, and their experience is becoming the foundation for training new generations of special forces operators.
Contradictory data
No significant discrepancies in the facts were found in the provided sources. The publication by the press service of the GUR of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, cited by RBC-Ukraine, and the contextual Focus.ua material on the Katran naval drone complement each other and contain no contradictions in dates, unit names or quotes. The only thing that remains beyond public confirmation is the specific technical parameters of the system being tested for crewless platforms and the precise definition of which exactly aspects of the “kamikaze” technology are considered outdated, since these details are not disclosed in the open domain.
