New details how marine drones downing two Russian Su-30 fighters - Budanov

This was revealed by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, in an interview with The War Zone. According to the report, this marked the first time a fighter jet was shot down by a maritime drone—and the first known use of an AIM-9 launched from a sea drone to hit a target.

“It’s a historic moment,” Budanov said.

He added that the operation took place in the Black Sea on Friday, May 2. According to Budanov, Defense Intelligence fighters used three Magura-7 unmanned maritime craft for the attack, two of which fired at the Russian aircraft.

Budanov explained that the Magura-7 is an air-defense variant of the Magura-5 platform but declined to provide further details.

He said the crew of the first Su-30 survived and was picked up by a civilian vessel in the Black Sea. The crew of the second jet is presumed dead.

Budanov noted that Defense Intelligence began mounting AIM-9 missiles on unmanned craft in January. He did not comment on whether this was the first time a target had been successfully hit from a drone. Previously, Ukrainian drones had only been fitted with Soviet-designed air-to-air missiles used as surface-to-air weapons. “We use several types of missiles on our Magura-7s, but the AIM-9 gives the best results,” Budanov said.

What is known about the Magura-7?

According to Naval News, the Magura-7 is essentially a scaled-up version of the Magura-5, the base model designed to ram enemy ships with an explosive payload. The Magura-7 is about 8 meters long, compared to the 5.5 meters of the Magura-5.

The report notes that the Magura-7’s design is more sophisticated. It remains unclear whether it is armed solely with Sidewinder missiles or can carry other types of weaponry.

The Magura-7 has a hull similar to the 5-series but with a redesigned bow. This feature is believed to improve seakeeping, which is useful for winter operations. The drone is equipped with multiple antennas and sensors, and the apparent absence of impact detonators at the bow suggests it may not carry an explosive charge—although this could vary depending on configuration, according to the report.

• Earlier, the GUR confirmed the downing of a Russian Su-30 fighter by a Magura sea drone strike near the port of Novorossiysk.
•  Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that on May 3, the Ukrainian Defense Forces targeted two Russian military aircraft. The second incident occurred in the temporarily occupied Crimea.