Ukraine has claimed a groundbreaking military achievement after it reportedly shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile launched from a maritime drone — marking what Ukrainian officials say is the first time a combat aircraft has been downed in such a manner.
Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency announced the strike on Tuesday, stating that the operation was carried out by its special operations unit, Group 13, over the Black Sea near the Russian port city of Novorossiysk. The agency hailed the incident as a significant milestone in modern drone warfare.
The Ukrainian military has increasingly relied on both aerial and seaborne drones in its efforts to counter Russia’s superior firepower during the ongoing war, now entering its third year. These relatively low-cost, remote-controlled platforms have been credited with significant damage to Russia’s Black Sea fleet and other military assets.
Tuesday’s announcement followed a similar claim from December 2024, when Ukraine reported downing a Russian military helicopter using the same type of drone-launched missile system.
In a separate incident earlier today, Novorossiysk’s mayor, Andrei Kravchenko, declared a state of emergency after a Ukrainian drone attack reportedly injured at least five people — including two children — and damaged residential buildings. Posting on Telegram, the mayor shared images of the destruction and said one woman remained in critical condition in hospital.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched an overnight barrage of 183 drones and two ballistic missiles targeting various regions across the country. Of those, 77 drones were intercepted, while another 73 crashed without causing damage, according to officials.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, a large-scale drone attack late Monday injured 46 people and ignited fires in several residential areas. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported strikes across 12 sites in the city’s central districts. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying there were no military targets in the vicinity.
“Russia strikes dwellings when Ukrainians are in their homes, when they are putting their children to bed,” Zelensky said.
In international developments, Zelensky also shared insights into his recent encounter with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Vatican, suggesting that Trump’s stance on the war may be shifting. The Ukrainian leader said they agreed on the need for a 30-day ceasefire as a first step toward peace, though he dismissed a shorter truce proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to coincide with upcoming WWII commemorations in Moscow.
Zelensky also said he raised the topic of sanctions during the meeting, describing Trump’s response as “very strong,” though he provided no further details.
