Ukrainian forces have shot down two Russian Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker multirole fighter jets, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) said (listed by Russia's financial watchdog as a terrorist and extremist). According to Budanov, the aircraft were targeted with AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles launched from Magura-7 unmanned surface vessels.
The Magura V7, used by Ukraine against the Russian jets, is a larger and more advanced version of the earlier Magura V5 maritime drone.
According to The Aviationist, the V7 is approximately eight meters long and appears to be optimized for rougher sea conditions, carrying a much more sophisticated payload system than earlier models. Notably, it does not carry an explosive charge in the nose like kamikaze drones. Additionally, unlike the earlier V5 model, which carried R-73 missiles, the V7 is equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
The V7 is reportedly capable of striking aerial targets at a range of up to 10 kilometers — a range sufficient to threaten multiple modern aircraft.
The incident demonstrates Ukraine's rapidly advancing technical and operational capabilities, adding another layer of complexity for the Russian Air Force.
According to Budanov, this is the first time Ukraine has successfully struck Su-30 Flankers using unmanned surface vehicles. He described the incident as a historic moment.
Budanov specified that the attack occurred on Friday, May 2, in the Black Sea. A video showing one of the Flankers being shot down has circulated on social media. According to him, the second strike was not recorded on camera.
The pilots of the downed Russian jet managed to eject before the Su-30 crashed. Civilian sailors rescued them.
Reports say the military pilots were about 50 kilometers from the coast when they had to abandon their aircraft. They were picked up by a nearby cargo ship and brought to shore alive. Interestingly, the evacuation took place under close observation by Ukrainian sea drones, which reportedly circled the crash site for nearly an hour but did not attack the civilian vessel.