Ukraine claims to have shot down Russian Su-30 fighter jet with a drone boat
At least one Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet has been shot down in recent days by a Ukrainian sea-based drone.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) said the autonomous vessel shot down the supersonic fighter jet on May 2 while it was flying over the Black Sea near the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk.
The Russian government has not acknowledged the loss, but blogs and social media accounts close to the Kremlin confirmed the downing, saying both occupants managed to eject.
The GUR released a video on social media claiming the downing was the first of its kind. It was not possible to independently verify the information.
How the mission was achieved, however, is unclear. It is understood that Ukraine used a Magura-7 drone carrying an adapted air-to-air missile.
The War Zone, citing sources in GUR, reported that Ukraine shot down not one but two Su-30 fighters using US-supplied AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. In December, the country had shot down an Mi-8 helicopter in the Black Sea, but using a drone boat equipped with Russian-made R-73 missiles.
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