Ukraine Downs Two Russian Fighter Jets Using Drone Boats Armed with US Missiles

According to reports, one of the downed jet’s crew members was reportedly rescued by a civilian ship. The other crew is believed to have died.

GUR called the downing of two Su-30 fighter jets a historic moment for Ukraine’s defence forces. “This is the first time in the world that a combat aircraft has been destroyed by a marine drone,” GUR said in a statement on Saturday.

The Su-30SM is a multirole fighter used by the Russian Air Force, capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It carries a variety of armaments, including missiles and bombs, and is equipped with an electronic warfare system. The aircraft is believed to cost around $50 million.

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range, heat-seeking missile normally launched from aircraft like the F-16. It weighs about 188 pounds and can hit targets up to 22 miles away. Ukraine has adapted these missiles to launch from drone boats by mounting them on stabilized launchers and equipping the boats with sensors to detect and track aircraft.

Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (GUR), told The War Zone that Ukraine began equipping Magura-7 sea drones with AIM-9 missiles in January.

He described the Magura-7 as an upgraded version of the Ukrainian-made Magura V5, which has been used since 2022 to target Russian naval forces, but declined to disclose specific differences between the two models.