Ukraine Makes History with First-Ever Destruction of Russian Jet by Sea Drone

In a bold new milestone in modern warfare, Ukraine claims it has destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea using a sea-based drone — a global first.

“This is the first time in the world that a combat aircraft has been destroyed by a marine drone,” Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence announced on Saturday. According to the statement, the jet caught fire mid-air before plunging into the sea.

The drone strike reportedly occurred Friday near Novorossiysk, a vital Russian port city and home to remnants of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine’s Magura sea drone, developed by Ukrainian engineers and the military, was credited with the attack.

Though CNN has not independently verified the claim and Russia’s defense ministry has remained silent, a prominent Russian military blogger known as Fighterbomber supported the account. On Telegram, he described how over 30 Ukrainian sea drones swarmed the area. After the jet was hit, the crew ended up in the water, surrounded by enemy drones.

Ukraine has increasingly relied on drones to counter Russia’s military edge in manpower and naval power, especially after losing its functional Black Sea navy in the wake of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The Magura V5 drone, which can be remotely piloted using Starlink and pre-programmed for long-range missions, has already been used with lethal effect. In December, Ukraine claimed the Magura V5 was used to destroy two Russian helicopters — another world first.

These drones are notoriously hard to detect in open waters, giving Ukraine a stealthy advantage in targeting Russian assets.

This latest strike adds to Ukraine’s growing track record of drone warfare success. In February 2024, Ukraine said it sank the Ivanovets, a Russian guided-missile ship, using 10 Magura drones — six of which hit their target.

Back in April 2022, Ukraine struck one of its most symbolic victories when its forces sank the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, giving Kyiv a critical morale boost early in the war.

Following the Ivanovets attack, CNN was granted rare access to the secretive Ukrainian sea drone unit responsible. One drone pilot revealed how difficult the Magura drones are to detect, especially in open sea, making it nearly impossible for Russian forces to defend against them.

Ukraine’s strategic shift to drone technology may be redefining naval and aerial combat. With the apparent downing of a Russian fighter jet by a sea drone, Kyiv continues to demonstrate that innovation and precision can challenge even the most powerful militaries.

Dource: CNN – Ukraine claims it destroyed Russian fighter jet using seaborne drone for the first time