Use of Naval Drones with Anti-Air Missiles Forces Russians to Expend Anti-Ship Missiles

Russian Su-30 fighter jets have started employing costly supersonic Kh-31 anti-ship missiles to take out Ukrainian naval drones, avoiding the risk of getting too close.

Russian Telegram channels shared videos capturing these missile strikes.

According to reports, the footage captures the destruction of three Ukrainian naval drones by a Su-30 airstrike using Kh-31A/AD missiles, as well as the use of Lancet loitering munitions in the Black Sea region.

This marks the first publicly confirmed instance of anti-ship missiles being used to neutralize Ukrainian naval drones.

The Russians have long been deploying Su-30 fighter jets to intercept Ukrainian naval drones and boats, but until now, they relied on either cannon fire or cluster bombs for this purpose.

The change in tactics is likely linked to the downing of a Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea in May 2025, caused by an AIM-9 missile mounted on a Magura 7 drone. Now, Russian aircraft avoid getting close to Ukrainian naval drones and are forced to use costly supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles instead.

Similarly, the use of helicopters for anti-boat defense has significantly decreased since December 31, 2024, when a naval drone shot down two Mi-8 helicopters using R-73 missiles.

Afterward, the Russian military started restructuring its anti-boat defense by employing FPV drones and kamikaze-style fixed-wing drones. However, these can only operate within the coastal zone due to their limited flight range.

Kh-31 Missiles

Soviet and Russian air-to-surface guided missiles of the “air-to-surface” class were produced in two versions:

• Kh-31P anti-radiation and its modifications;
• Kh-31A anti-ship and its modifications.

These are supersonic missiles with an average speed of 600–700 m/s. The maximum target range depends on the launch altitude and missile version.

The Kh-31A anti-ship missile has a range of 70 km, while the Kh-31AD version extends this to 120–160 km. The Kh-31P anti-radiation missile has a range of up to 110 km, and its upgraded version, the Kh-31PD, extends this range to 180–250 km.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have been actively using these missiles against Ukraine.