The Daily Populous Saturday May 3rd, 2025 evening edition
Authored by pravda.com.ua and submitted by Silly-avocatoe

Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) equipped with R-73 air-to-air missiles are reported to have hit a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near the port of Novorossiysk.

Source: Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company; Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU); a number of Russian military bloggers

Quote from DIU: "A historic strike has been carried out by soldiers from Group 13, a special DIU unit, using a missile from a Magura uncrewed surface platform. A multi-purpose fighter jet belonging to the aggressor state of Russia, with an estimated cost of about US$50 million, burst into flames in the air and eventually crashed into the sea, to the bottom of the ruthless Neptune's domain."

Background: Last year, DIU officially announced the integration of Soviet-era R-73 air-to-air missiles with infrared guidance onto MAGURA uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). This upgrade enabled Ukrainian forces to destroy two Russian Mi-8 helicopters in December.

Soulegion on May 3rd, 2025 at 14:45 UTC »

A $250,000 drone shooting down a $50,000,000 jet. At a cost ratio of 200:1, that's a hell of a win.

Minions-overlord on May 3rd, 2025 at 13:38 UTC »

Ukraine is really just trying to do challenge runs at this point.

"Hey lets see if we can take out a jet with * rolls dice * a boat this week"

Silly-avocatoe on May 3rd, 2025 at 13:34 UTC »

Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) equipped with R-73 air-to-air missiles are reported to have hit a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near the port of Novorossiysk.

Source: Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company; Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU); a number of Russian military bloggers

Quote from DIU: "A historic strike has been carried out by soldiers from Group 13, a special DIU unit, using a missile from a Magura uncrewed surface platform. A multi-purpose fighter jet belonging to the aggressor state of Russia, with an estimated cost of about US$50 million, burst into flames in the air and eventually crashed into the sea, to the bottom of the ruthless Neptune's domain."