Full Analysis Summary
Naval drone strike claim
On 15 December 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) released footage it says shows multiple underwater "Sea Baby"/"Sub Sea Baby" drones striking a Russian Project 636.3 (Varshavyanka/Kilo-class) diesel-electric submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
The footage allegedly shows a large plume of water and debris and, according to Kyiv, put the vessel out of action while it carried four Kalibr cruise-missile launchers.
The SBU and Ukrainian navy described the operation as unprecedented, and Ukrainian outlets framed it as the first recorded case of a submarine being taken out by a naval drone, with the claims reported alongside the released footage.
Coverage Differences
Naming and attribution
Sources vary in how they name the drones and attribute the account: Daily Mail uses the name “Sea Baby” and reports footage and SBU claims, RBC‑Ukraine calls them “Sub Sea Baby” and details the SBU directorate and navy involvement, while PravdaReport also uses “Sub Sea Baby” but emphasizes the SBU’s announcement and frames the result as Kyiv’s claim. Each source attributes the destruction to Ukrainian statements rather than independent verification.
Claims vs verification
The tone differs on certainty: Daily Mail and RBC‑Ukraine report the SBU’s claim and footage, while PravdaReport explicitly highlights that the report remains contested and notes the lack of independent verification and opposing Russian statements.
Drone and submarine reports
The Daily Mail provides specifications for the Ukrainian 'Sea Baby' drones, reporting roughly 1,900 pounds of explosives, speeds of about 60 mph, a range of at least 600 miles, and an approximate cost of £180,000.
RBC-Ukraine and PravdaReport focus more on the submarine's characteristics and estimate its value at roughly $400-500 million.
Sources agree the target was a Varshavyanka/Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine noted for low noise and coastal roles, but different outlets emphasize different technical elements.
Coverage Differences
Technical detail emphasis
Daily Mail supplies precise drone performance and cost figures that the local and other outlets do not repeat; RBC‑Ukraine and PravdaReport instead provide background on the Varshavyanka’s attributes and estimated platform value, creating complementary but nonidentical technical narratives.
Monetary figures and presentation
Monetary figures appear in different currencies and for different systems: Daily Mail gives a per-drone cost in pounds, while RBC‑Ukraine and PravdaReport provide an estimated dollar value for the submarine; none of the sources reconciles these figures, producing differing cost emphases.
Framing of strike reports
Ukrainian outlets frame the strike as a tactical success with strategic implications.
Kyiv presented the strike as a blow to Russia's Black Sea long-range strike capability by targeting a platform reportedly carrying Kalibr missiles.
Local reporting emphasized the SBU's operational unit and coordination with the navy.
PravdaReport echoes Kyiv's framing but stresses the contested status and says the material setback would only be confirmed if Kyiv's account is verified.
The sources therefore differ in certainty and emphasis when assessing impact.
Coverage Differences
Strategic framing vs caution
Daily Mail and RBC‑Ukraine foreground Kyiv’s framing of the incident as a notable tactical success and an unprecedented use of naval drones, whereas PravdaReport balances that framing with explicit caution, noting the lack of independent verification and quoting Russian denials to stress the reports remain contested.
Source of operational detail
RBC‑Ukraine provides the most granular operational attribution, naming the SBU’s 13th Main Directorate and co-operation with the Ukrainian navy; other outlets report the claim and footage but do not give as specific an organizational attribution.
Verification and denials
All three sources underline that there is no independent verification of the claims.
Daily Mail explicitly notes the claims come from Ukrainian sources and were not independently verified in the article.
PravdaReport cites Russian state outlet Zvezda reporting the Black Sea Fleet said the sabotage "did not achieve its objectives".
RBC-Ukraine focuses on the SBU's claim without independent corroboration.
Because the accounts conflict, the outcome remains ambiguous until independent confirmation is available.
Coverage Differences
Verification and denial emphasis
PravdaReport places stronger emphasis on the Russian official denial and the contested nature of the reports, Daily Mail flags the lack of independent verification while still showing footage and Ukrainian claims, and RBC‑Ukraine concentrates on the SBU narrative and operational details without reporting an independent confirmation.
Ambiguity and contestation
All sources acknowledge contestation, but PravdaReport and Daily Mail explicitly call out the need for independent verification, whereas RBC‑Ukraine presents the SBU account more directly as fact reported from Ukrainian authorities.