russian propagandists complain that Ukrainian surface drones attacked Novorossiysk and shot down their Su-30 fighter. According to one of the russian resources, the aircraft was destroyed approximately 50 km from the city by an unmanned surface vehicle armed with an R-73 guided missile.
russians claim that the Ukrainian drones used "lure-and-catch" tactics. According to their information, the pilots managed to eject and were subsequently picked up by civilian sailors. No further information about this episode is currently available, and as of the morning of May 3, Ukraine had not officially commented on the attack.
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The downing of the enemy aircraft was later confirmed by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, which released footage from a surface drone that had shot down the russian Su-30.
It is worth noting that this is the first combat incident in history where a fighter jet was destroyed by a maritime drone armed with an air-to-air missile.
A year ago, in May 2024, it was first reported that Ukrainian Magura V5 surface drones were being armed with R-73 missiles.
At the end of last year, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine released a video showing how a Mi-8 helicopter of russian occupation forces was destroyed for the first time in history by a Magura V5 armed with R-73 missiles.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that Ukraine had carried out its largest drone strike yet on Crimean airfields.
Read more: Ukraine Deploys World's First Drone-Based Air Defense: the Nemesis Regiment Downs 60 Shahed and Geran Drones in Two Months
