Budanov: Magura drone used AIM-9 missile to shoot down Russian combat aircraft

A Russian Su-30 fighter jet was shot down by an AIM-9 missile launched from a Magura naval drone.

The War Zone reported on this, citing Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

To ambush the Russian aircraft, the DIU deployed a special version of the Magura-7 naval drone designed for air defense tasks.

A total of three such drones were involved in the operation. This was the first time in history that a naval drone destroyed a fighter jet.

“This is a historic moment,” Budanov commented to The War Zone.

According to Budanov, the Magura-7 naval drone itself is a version of the Magura-5 drone, but equipped with anti-aircraft missiles. He did not disclose any further details about this drone.

As for the AIM-9 missile itself, according to available information, Ukraine currently uses two versions: the AIM-9M, modernized in the 1980s, and the AIM-9X, modernized in the 2000s.

The missile and its infrared guidance system have already demonstrated high efficiency in numerous air battles, and the downing of the Russian aircraft only added to this list. When launched from the ground, the missile has an effective range of up to 10 kilometers, allowing it to successfully intercept air targets.

On May 2, 2025, a special unit of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, shot down a Russian Su-30 multi-role fighter jet in the Black Sea. The historic strike with a missile from the Magura unmanned naval platform was carried out by soldiers of the Group 13 special unit.

According to information from enemy sources, the Su-30 aircraft belonged to the 43rd Aviation Assault Regiment of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet, based in occupied Saky.

The Russian aircraft was shot down near Novorossiysk, where Ukrainian drones were sent to hunt for Russian carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles.

On the evening of May 2, 2025, an alarm was sounded in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai, and traffic was blocked near the coast due to the threat of an attack by surface drones.

At that time, the Ukrainian Navy reported that there were 15 Russian ships in the Black Sea, five of which were carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles with a total salvo of up to 34 missiles.