Ukraine’s Magura V7 surface drone reportedly shot down two Russian Su-30SM jets using American-made Sidewinder missiles, marking a breakthrough in naval drone warfare and showcasing Ukraine’s evolving capabilities.
The Ukrainian military is nothing if not resilient. Despite not having a significant navy, Ukraine sank the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva three years ago in the opening stages of the ongoing conflict. At the same time, Kyiv has carried out multiple strikes on Russia’s naval forces, with many involving sea-skimming drones.
Now, there are reports that Ukraine successfully employed an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) to shoot down two Russian fighters over the Black Sea.
On Friday, a Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM (NATO reporting name Flanker-H) was shot down by a missile fired by a Magura V7, while a second Su-30SM was down just hours later by another missile fired by one of Kyiv’s USVs.
“World first: On May 2, 2025, the @DI_Ukraine special operations unit, in coordination with the Security Service of Ukraine and Defense Forces of Ukraine, eliminated a Russian Su-30 fighter jet in the Black Sea,” the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine wrote in a post on X.
It was initially reported that the aircraft were shot down with modified R-73 air-to-air “Sea Dragon” missiles. Still, Kyiv has confirmed that American-made AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles shot down the Su-30SM fighters. The Magura V7 wasn’t in the air when the missiles were launched; instead, aircraft launch rails were installed on the USV.
The first SU-30SM crew had reportedly been able to eject and were rescued by a Russian civilian ship, while the second crew didn’t survive.
The Magura V7: Ukraine’s Newest Surface Drone
Kyiv’s USV could be a significant game changer. It is believed to be an evolution of the Magura V5 USV, which Stavros Atlamazoglou described in a recent report for The National Interest as “probably the most effective drone of its kind in the conflict thus far, with several sinkings and hits against Russian surface warships and support vessels.”
It looks like Ukraine’s USV capabilities have increased considerably with the Magura V7. According to noted naval analyst H I Sutton, writing for Naval News, “The V7 represents a mature capability compared to the Sea Dragon version, which can be thought of as the prototype. It is cleaner and better thought out. It is unclear, however, whether it is exclusively armed with Sidewinder missiles or can carry other weapons.”
Naval News also shared the first image of the Magura V7. The report noted that while the USV shares “similar lines to the V5 version,” it has a “reshaped bow” that may offer “improved sea keeping, useful for operations in winter.”
However, unlike the V5, which can be employed as naval Kamikaze drones, the V7 variant may lack an explosive charge in the bow.
Each of the Maguar V7 drones is believed to cost around $265,000, which is far from cheap, but quite a bit less than the $50 million or more the Su-30SM aircraft cost, or the hundreds of millions that Moscow has paid for the warships that the V7s.
On the same day the downing of the Su-30SM aircraft occurred, Kyiv carried out a drone strike on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
The Magura V5 had been used last December to shoot down two Russian Mi-8 helicopters, while the USV had been employed to sink the Russian Navy patrol ship Sergey Kotov in March 2024, and the landing ship Caesar Kunikov in February of that same year.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ vaalaa.
