Ukraine Naval Drone Shoots Down Two Russian Warplanes in 24 Hours: First-Ever USV Fighter Jet Kills (Updated)

Ukrainian forces destroyed a second Russian aircraft within 24 hours during a strike on the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the evening of Saturday, May 3.

“A brilliant downing of a Russian military aircraft by our naval drone — proof of Ukraine’s capabilities. Our [armed forces] very precisely carried out an operation against military targets in Crimea: minus another, the second Russian aircraft in one day,” Zelensky said.

According to the president, Ukrainian strikes on occupied Crimea also destroyed Russian military depots.

The context suggests that these were strikes conducted on the evening of May 2 and the early hours of May 3.

On Saturday, about the first airplane downing, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) reported that, on May 2, near the Russian port of Novorossiysk, Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels (USV) equipped with infrared (IR) air-to-air missiles shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet.

Ukrainian forces noted this was the world’s first destruction of a fighter airplane by a naval drone. The Russian multirole fighter, estimated to cost around $50 million, caught fire mid-air and crashed into the sea. A Ukrainian Magura naval drone also made the first-ever aerial kill when it shot down a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter on Dec. 31, 2024, using an R-73 repurposed air-to-air missile.

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“The historic [aerial kill on a fighter airplane] was carried out by warriors of HUR’s special unit Group 13 using a missile launched from the Magura unmanned maritime platform,” the intelligence agency said, releasing footage of the incident.

The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, reported that fighters from the special unit Group 13 destroyed two Russian Su-30 jets using AIM-9 missiles launched from Magura-7 naval drones. One of the aircraft was shot down over the Black Sea, and its crew was rescued by a civilian vessel. The second Su-30 was reportedly destroyed in Crimea, with the crew presumed dead.

“We use several types of missiles on our Magura-7, but the best results come from the AIM-9,” said Budanov.

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a US-made air-to-air missile which, like the Soviet era R-73 missile, is equipped with an infrared homing guidance system.

Pro-Russian Telegram channels confirmed the aircraft had been hit. According to the Fighterbomber channel, the Su-30 crew ejected and was rescued by a civilian Russian cargo ship. Ukrainian forces observed the rescue via other drones but chose not to interfere.

“I thank our guys who are expanding Ukraine’s long-range capabilities — both in the sky and at sea. Everyone working to help Ukraine repel the occupier, everyone developing and deploying new technological solutions — I thank each and every one of you,” Zelensky added.

What is the MAGURA V5

The MAGURA V5 (Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus) is a Ukrainian unmanned surface drone used for reconnaissance and destruction of enemy targets. This drone is known to be used by the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense, particularly by the special unit “Group13.”

The MAGURA V5 is capable of a variety of maritime operations, including surveillance, reconnaissance, patrol, and combat missions.

The unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is 5.5 meters long, and 1.5 meters wide, has a cruising speed of 40.7 kilometers per hour, a maximum speed of 77.8 kilometers per hour, and a range of about 833 kilometers. Thanks to its hydrodynamic hull and maneuverability, the V5 demonstrates stealth-like capabilities.

MAGURA became the first unmanned vehicle in the world to completely destroy enemy ships, demonstrating high efficiency by hitting and destroying the largest number of enemy vessels.

On Friday, Kyiv Post reported that in the early hours of that morning, Russian-occupied Crimea came under a large-scale drone attack, with explosions reported simultaneously in multiple cities across the peninsula, including Sevastopol, Yevpatoria, Saky, and near Hvardiiske.

According to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, air defense systems were activated in the areas of Sevastopol Bay, Kacha, and Balaklava.

“The loud noises heard in the city were our military repelling an attempted drone attack. Preliminary data indicates that seven UAVs were destroyed mid-air over the sea at a considerable distance from the coast,” he wrote shortly after 2 a.m.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defenses shot down 89 drones over Crimea and another 23 over the Black Sea. The ministry also alleged that four drones were downed over Krasnodar Krai, two over Oryol Oblast, and one each over the Bryansk and Belgorod regions, as well as over the Sea of Azov.

Occupied Crimea remains a key strategic hub for Russia in its war against Ukraine – used for missile launches, logistics for southern operations, and as the main base of the Black Sea Fleet. The peninsula holds both symbolic and military value, with its 2014 annexation marking the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine continues to target military infrastructure in Crimea, including ammunition depots, airfields, air defense sites, and naval assets. Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have disabled several major Russian landing and reconnaissance ships, forcing Moscow to relocate much of its fleet to Novorossiysk.