Ukraine shows off Toloka underwater drone

Ukraine unveiled its TLK-1000 underwater drone — capable of striking targets as distant as 2,000 km  (1,240 miles) away — at the Defense Tech Valley 2025 exhibition in Lviv on Sept. 19.

While the torpedo drone itself moves underwater, it has surface elements including antennas for receiving GPS signals, video and thermal imaging cameras, and communication equipment, reported Militaryn in February, when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky first introduced the Toloka drone at the Support Ukraine summit. Designed for stealth operations just below the surface, it uses electric propulsion to evade detection and penetrate Russian defenses.  

Kyiv has repeatedly used maritime drones to inflict heavy losses on Russian assets in the Black Sea, according to Defense Express. The TLK-1000 could threaten the Crimean Bridge, a supply and transport route for Russian forces to occupied territories, as well as Russian submarines.

There are three models of Toloka. The largest, TLK-1000, is 12 meters long with a warhead payload of up to 5,000 kg and a range up to 2,000 km (1,240 miles). It is built for long-distance missions and heavy loads. It navigates with GNSS supplemented by AI-INS with a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL).

The TLK 400 also navigates with AI-INS with DVL and GNSS. It is 4 to 6 meters long, its payload can be up to 500 kg, and its range can be up to 1,200 kilometers. The TLK-400 features a hybrid propulsion system and is intended for reconnaissance, mining, signal relay and strike operations.

The TLK 200 navigates with GNSS + AI-INS. It is 2.5 meters, its range 100 km, and its payload 20 to 50 kg of explosives. Typical tasks include reconnaissance, mining, short-range strike missions and radio-relay support.