Toloka’s new Ukrainian underwater drones can carry explosives, are equipped with integrated AI networks and have now been shown publicly for the first time. At the Defence Tech Valley 2025 exhibition in Lviv, a twelve-metre-long prototype with hybrid propulsion and modular payload was unveiled. Yet this imposing model is only part of a broader family of drones specifically designed for short-, medium- and long-range operations. As reported by The WP Times, citing Defense Express, which in turn referred to Ukrainian military representatives at the exhibition, the series includes at least three variants: TLK-200, TLK-400 and the flagship TLK-1000.

TLK-200 – compact coastal drone

The smallest of the family is the TLK-200, an autonomous underwater drone driven purely by electric motors. It is intended for near-shore or limited-range missions.

  • Range: up to 100 km
  • Endurance: up to 15 days
  • Propulsion: twin electric engines
  • Communication: satellite-based, resistant to electronic warfare (EW) interference
  • Navigation: GNSS and AI-INS
  • Guidance: optical camera or thermal imager
  • Payload (warhead): up to 15 kg
  • Operating depth: up to 300 m
  • Dimensions: 2.9 m in length, 0.2 m hull diameter
  • Recommended roles: reconnaissance, communication relay, strike missions, mine-laying

TLK-400 – hybrid for medium-range

The TLK-400 represents a larger, more versatile system with hybrid propulsion and extended reach.

  • Range: up to 1,200 km
  • Endurance: up to 60 days
  • Propulsion: hybrid (four electric motors plus internal combustion engine)
  • Communication: satellite-based with EW countermeasures
  • Navigation: AI-INS with DVL (Doppler Velocity Log) and GNSS
  • Guidance options: thermal imager, optical camera, RF homing, passive and active acoustic systems
  • Payload: up to 500 kg
  • Operating depth: up to 300 m
  • Dimensions: around 12 m in length, 0.4 m hull diameter
  • Recommended roles: intelligence collection, signal relay, mine-laying, offensive missions

TLK-1000 – the flagship

The highlight of the exhibition was the TLK-1000, the largest and most advanced of the Toloka series. Ukrainian officials described it as the flagship, designed for deep-strike missions and capable of serving both as a “kamikaze” weapon and a carrier drone.

  • Range: up to 2,000 km
  • Endurance: up to 60 days
  • Propulsion: hybrid (four electric motors plus internal combustion engine)
  • Communication: satellite links with FHSS and robust EW resistance
  • AI integration: optical, thermal, acoustic and inertial sensors processed by neural networks for detection, classification and navigation
  • Special options: can be equipped for reconnaissance, mine-laying or seabed mapping
  • Navigation: GNSS, AI-INS with DVL
  • Guidance: thermal imager, optical camera, RF homing
  • Payload (warhead): up to 5,000 kg
  • Operating depth: 300 m (composite hull), 30 m (metal hull)
  • Dimensions: 12 m in length, 1.5 m hull diameter
  • Recommended roles: destruction of large stationary targets, attacks in contested zones, potential carrier for smaller drones (unconfirmed)

Broader significance

Defence Express noted that the model names (200, 400, 1000) most likely correspond to hull diameters. Company representatives confirmed that the drones can also be deployed for mine-countermeasure operations, acoustic reconnaissance and detailed seabed mapping.

“Our drones autonomously detect, classify and neutralise underwater mines, significantly improving both safety and effectiveness of naval operations,” Toloka engineers explained at the exhibition.

This is not the first time Ukraine has showcased its naval drone technology. On 19 September 2025, during the Brave1 Defence Tech Valley event in Lviv, another domestic underwater drone with a 2,000-kilometre strike capacity was unveiled. Earlier, in February 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky personally introduced Toloka prototypes to international allies – though at that stage, the larger models such as the TLK-1000 were still at prototype level.

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Photo: TLK-1000 maritime drone (General Staff of Ukraine)