A Russian fighter jet was shot down by an air-to-air missile from a maritime combat drone!
On May 2, 2025, an unprecedented and exceptional event occurred in the history of warfare. This was the first time that a naval drone shot down a Russian fighter jet in flight. Ukraine claimed that one of its 'Magura' (V-7) naval combat drones, armed with R-73 air-to-air missiles, successfully shot down an SU-30 fighter jet near the Russian coast.
Ukraine's Group 13 participated in the operation and used an R-73 or similar short-range guided infrared missile to shoot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet worth an estimated $50 million off the coast of Novorossiysk. The Kiev administration has already released video footage of the incident, which shows a fighter jet being destroyed after the missile was launched from the sea.
Kiev-based military sources and OSINT observers (such as Oryx) claim that Ukraine has specially modified the 'Magura' (V-7) naval combat drone to include infrared-guided air-to-air missiles and a special fire control and launching system. However, such technology is very rare in real combat and is a very complex process to implement.
The 'Magura' (V-7) naval combat drone is a highly advanced and upgraded version of the previously used 'Magura' V5. Which has already been used to attack Russian naval targets. The R-7 series naval combat drone is about 8 meters long and is equipped with more advanced communication antennas and navigation sensors than the previous V-5.
Incidentally, the R-73 missile is a Soviet/Russian-made short-range air-to-air missile, which is primarily designed for use from fighter jets against other fighter jets. It is powered by infrared-homing technology and is generally not suitable for launch from sea or land. However, this impossible has been made possible by using appropriate launching technology and fire control systems.
This incident proves that it is now possible to destroy aircraft flying in the air not only from air to air, but also from sea drones. According to military analysts, this incident highlights the need for fundamental reforms in Russia's conventional fighter jet strategy and air defense policy. Because, Naval Combat Drones have now emerged as an important weapons system that is not only a threat to warships, but also capable of directly participating in air combat.
Sources: Kiev Post, Naval News, Bulgarian Military, Yahoo News.
