In an unprecedented operation, Ukraine shot down two Russian Su-30 Flanker fighter jets using unmanned naval drones equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
The information was confirmed by Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in an interview with The War Zone.
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According to Budanov, the missiles were launched from remotely operated Magura-7 boats in the Black Sea. This marks the first time fighter jets have been downed by maritime drones and the first known use of AIM-9 missiles launched from an unmanned naval platform against aerial targets.
Prior to this new announcement, only the downing of one aircraft by a Soviet-era R-73 surface-to-air missile had been reported.
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The first fighter jet struck crashed into the Black Sea, and its crew was rescued by a nearby civilian vessel. According to preliminary data, the second crew did not survive the crash.
“This is a historic moment,” Budanov stated, highlighting the technological and tactical achievement of the operation.
The innovative use of armed naval drones underscores Ukraine’s growing ability to deploy autonomous platforms across multiple domains of modern warfare, particularly in countering Russian air superiority.
Source: Telegram @United24media | The War Zone. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
