Ukraine Claims First-Ever Fighter Jet Kill Using A Seaborne Drone

 

Ukraine says it has made military history by downing a Russian Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea using a marine drone — a first-of-its-kind achievement in modern warfare, according to Kyiv’s Defense Intelligence.

In a statement released Saturday, Ukraine’s military intelligence said one of its units struck the jet on Friday using a domestically-developed Magura drone near the port of Novorossiysk, a strategic hub for Russia on the Black Sea. The aircraft, the statement said, “burst into flames in the air and eventually fell into the sea.”

If confirmed, this would be the first known instance globally of a combat aircraft being destroyed by a naval drone.

While Russia's Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the incident, the claim received support from a Russian military blogger. Writing under the name “Fighterbomber” on Telegram, the blogger stated that the Ukrainian military deployed over three dozen sea drones in the Novorossiysk area. After the Russian aircraft was hit, the crew reportedly ejected and landed in waters surrounded by Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine has previously demonstrated its growing reliance on unmanned systems in its ongoing conflict with Russia. In December 2023, Kyiv claimed its Magura V5 drones were used to destroy two Russian helicopters, also marking a first in the use of maritime drones for such a purpose.

With its traditional naval fleet mostly neutralized following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and further territorial losses since the 2022 invasion, Ukraine has leaned heavily on innovative drone technology to strike high-value targets in the Black Sea. These drones are operated remotely, often controlled using Starlink satellite connections, and can be programmed to travel long distances.

Ukraine’s sea drones have had significant successes. In February 2024, Kyiv announced the sinking of the Ivanovets, a Russian guided-missile ship, with a coordinated attack by ten Magura drones—six of which made direct hits. And in April 2022, Ukraine stunned Russia by striking and sinking the Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, marking one of the war’s early turning points.

A Ukrainian drone pilot involved in the Ivanovets operation noted that the drones are extremely hard to detect in open water, making them especially effective against even well-defended naval targets.

The apparent shootdown of the Su-30 adds another milestone to Ukraine’s increasingly bold use of unmanned technology in the war—and may signal a broader shift in naval and aerial warfare dynamics.