Ukraine Downs Russian Fighter Jet Using a Naval Drone for the First Time

Ukraine has reportedly destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a naval unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), according to an announcement made by Ukraine’s military intelligence service GUR on Saturday (03.05.25). This marks the first time in history that a fighter aircraft has been downed by a sea drone anywhere in the world. The Ukrainian military unit known as Group 13 conducted the operation near Novorossiysk, a significant Russian port-city on the Black Sea. Despite having far fewer men and weapons than its larger and wealthier adversary Russia, Ukraine has increasingly relied on air and naval drones to counteract the ongoing war that began over three years ago. Ukraine’s smaller and cheaper naval drones have caused significant damage to Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Previously, in December 2024, Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian military helicopter using a similar type of sea drone.