Ukraine’s military intelligence chief claims that two Russian Su-30 fighter jets were shot down over the Black Sea using U.S.-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles launched from modified Ukrainian sea drones.
The strike has marked the first known instance of a drone boat using an air-to-air missile to destroy a manned combat aircraft.
In an exclusive interview with The War Zone, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), said the attack occurred Friday using a modified variant of Ukraine’s Magura-7 uncrewed surface vessel (USV), configured specifically for air defense.
“It’s a historical moment,” Budanov told The War Zone, describing the engagement as a major tactical and technological breakthrough. He said three Magura-7 drones were used in the ambush, with two of them firing infrared-guided AIM-9 missiles at Russian Su-30 Flanker aircraft.
World first: On May 2, 2025, the @DI_Ukraine special operations unit, in coordination with the Security Service of Ukraine and Defence Forces of Ukraine, eliminated a russian Su-30 fighter jet in the Black Sea.
🔗 https://t.co/DXhg74AKcg pic.twitter.com/Z4fP5CFRb8
— Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (@DI_Ukraine) May 3, 2025
Budanov added that this was the first operational kill involving the AIM-9 fired from a sea drone. A previous claim had suggested one of the fighters was downed with a Russian-made R-73 missile, but new details point to the AIM-9 as the weapon used in at least one of the attacks.
Budanov confirmed that the crew of the first aircraft survived and was recovered by a nearby civilian vessel. The second Su-30 was also reportedly destroyed, though no video has emerged. According to GUR, the second crew did not survive.
The Magura-7 system is described as an air defense variant of the previously known Magura-5 naval drone. Budanov declined to elaborate on the design modifications, but emphasized its unique role in targeting aircraft operating in maritime strike zones.