Ukrainian Magura V7 naval drone destroy two russian Su-30 fighters

For the first time, a surface drone was able to destroy a combat aircraft – we are talking about the Ukrainian Magura V7 drone, which shot down a russian Su-30 fighter in the Black Sea area. This was reported by the NavalNews portal, publishing the first photo of the drone involved in the unique operation.

According to the source, the Magura V7 is a new modification of the previous version of the Magura V5. Its dimensions have been increased – about eight meters in length, while its predecessor was 5.5 meters. In addition, the design is adapted to operations in difficult sea conditions, and improved sensors and communication systems are installed on board.

The key element of the new drone is two American AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. They are mounted on launch guides and, probably, can change the position of combat use. The missiles have infrared homing and are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 10 km.

Earlier, The War Zone, citing the words of the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Kirill Budanov, reported that on May 2, Ukrainian boats destroyed two russian aircraft with the help of American missiles. However, one of these episodes was not shown on video.

In 2023, the GUR also announced the use of Soviet R-73 missiles with an infrared homing head in Magura. At the end of December last year, it was with such ammunition that Ukrainian boats first destroyed two Mi-8 helicopters.

In the waters of the russian port of Novorossiysk, Ukrainian intelligence used three Magura-7 unmanned boats designed to destroy air targets. This was reported by the head of the GUR, Kirill Budanov. According to him, this is a modernized version of the Magura V5 drones, adapted specifically for conducting combat operations against aircraft.

Unlike previous operations using Soviet R-73 missiles, which shot down two Mi-8 helicopters on December 31, 2024, this time American AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles with infrared guidance were used. This was the first time in history that drone boats destroyed fighters, and AIM-9 missiles were used from a sea platform.

The NavalNews portal published the first photo of a Magura-7 boat equipped with a launcher for one of these missiles. Budanov called the attack a “historic moment,” emphasizing the uniqueness of the event.

According to the GUR, the crew of one Su-30 unfortunately managed to eject and was picked up by a civilian vessel. Presumably, the pilots of the second aircraft died. The destruction of one of the fighters was recorded on video, the attack on the second could not be recorded.

For reference, the AIM-9 Sidewinder is an air-to-air guided missile with infrared homing. It was adopted by the United States in 1956 and has been upgraded several times since then. Today, the missile remains in service with dozens of countries and is used in various configurations, including air-to-surface and surface-to-air variants.