A Ukrainian maritime drone achieved a world first by successfully striking and destroying a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near Novorossiysk in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
The strike marks the first time a maritime drone destroyed a combat aircraft, with the $50 million fighter reportedly catching fire mid-air before crashing into the Black Sea.
The Su-30 fighter jet carries a diverse arsenal including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, and bombs, used for air defense or strike missions against Ukrainian positions and civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine launches drones against Russia primarily to weaken Russia’s military capabilities, disrupt logistics, and degrade assets used to support the aggression in Ukraine. Typical targets include military airfields, air defense systems, weapons production plants, ammunition depots, oil refineries, and fuel depots in occupied territories and deep inside Russia.
The operation, conducted on 2 May 2025, was carried out by Ukraine’s Group 13 special unit in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ukrainian Defense Forces, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR).
The operators used a missile launched from a Magura V5 marine drone to hit the aircraft.
The Magura V5 is a Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicle designed for maritime reconnaissance, patrol, and combat missions, capable of carrying up to 320 kg (705 lbs) of explosives with an operational range of 800 km (497 miles).
The incident occurred in waters near Novorossiysk port, which Ukrainian intelligence describes as a hiding place for “the remains of their Black Sea fleet.”
This marks the second significant achievement for the Magura maritime drone program. Ukrainian intelligence notes that on 31 December 2024, a Magura V5 was used to destroy two Russian Mi-8 helicopters, which they claim was also a first-of-its-kind attack.
The operation appears to have been part of a larger coordinated assault on the night of 2-3 May 2-3.
Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting multiple Russian regions, including Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast, Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, and occupied Crimea.
Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted and destroyed around 170 Ukrainian drones, along with several cruise missiles and unmanned boats over the Black Sea. The strikes damaged residential buildings in Novorossiysk, injured four people including children, and caused fires and infrastructure damage in other areas.
