Latest news with #Group13
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Swarming and shooting down aircraft: Ukraine's Defence Intelligence reveals characteristics of MAGURA unmanned boats
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has disclosed the characteristics of three versions of its main MAGURA unmanned boats, which destroy Russian ships and air targets in the Black Sea. These naval drones were shown at an official event attended by a journalist of the Oboronka project. Source: Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Details: Three versions of all-weather boats were presented – MAGURA V5, MAGURA V6P and MAGURA V7. They are designed not only to destroy enemy ships and air targets, but also for reconnaissance, patrolling, ship protection, mine clearance, firefighting, rescue operations and cargo delivery. The MAGURA V5 is the main drone in DIU's arsenal. It is capable of swarming, automatic target tracking, multi-channel satellite communication, mounting a combat module with a machine gun and is equipped with thermal imaging cameras. It can carry up to 320 kg of explosives and work autonomously for up to 48 hours. It is the fastest boat in the family, capable of reaching speeds of up to 90km/h when fully loaded. MAGURA V7 alongside MAGURA V5 MAGURA V7 is a new combat version of the naval drone. It is equipped with an acoustic environmental monitoring system and can stay at sea for up to 7 days with a generator. Its distinctive feature is the integrated air defence system: AIM9/P-73 missiles or a machine gun module. If necessary, they can also be used as kamikaze drones. The V7 also has a much larger range of control than other MAGURA drones – 1,500 km. The MAGURA V6P is a non-combat modification of the drone. It is designed for reconnaissance, patrolling, rescue operations and cargo delivery. DIU recalled that over the years, thanks to MAGURA combat boats, the fighters of the Group 13 specialised unmanned systems vehicle unit have hit 17 targets. Among them are two helicopters, two fighter jets, six patrol boats and seven warships. A total of 15 of them were destroyed. Soldiers of Group 13 and representatives of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine present MAGURA V7 Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Telegraph
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ukrainian sea drone shoots down Russian fighter jet in world first
Ukraine destroyed a Russian fighter jet using a seaborne drone, Kyiv's military intelligence agency said. The Main Directorate of Intelligence [GUR] said the Russian Su-30 fighter jet was destroyed by Ukraine's Group 13 on Friday, over waters near Novorossiysk, the Russian port city on the Black Sea. It is the world's first downing of a combat plane by a drone boat. The Ukrainian waterborne drone reportedly fired an R-73 surface-to-air missile, which struck the $50 million fighter jet and caused it to catch fire and crash. Ukraine said it used a Magura V7 sea drone, a 5.5m-long drone with a range of up to 1,800km. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of GUR, later claimed that two Russian Su-30s had been shot down by the innovative sea drones. 'It's a historical moment,' he told War Zone website, although no footage has emerged yet of the second strike. It is the latest case of the Ukrainians, who are less well-resourced and armed than Moscow, managing to turn the tables on their Russian invaders in the three-year conflict. 'On May 2, 2025, the special unit of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in cooperation with the SBU and the Defense Forces of Ukraine, eliminated a Russian Su-30 in the Black Sea – this is the first destruction of a combat aircraft by a naval drone in the world,' GUR said in a statement. 'The historic strike was carried out by soldiers of the special forces unit of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Group 13 with a Magura unmanned maritime platform missile,' the statement continued. 'The fighter plane of the aggressor state of Russia, which has an estimated cost of about $50 million, burst into flames in the air and eventually fell into the sea – to the bottom, and into the possession of ruthless Neptune,' it added. Video footage online appeared to show the moment that the Magura's crosshairs honed in on its target from the sea surface and fired its payload. Russia has not officially responded to the claim, but a prominent Russian military blogger confirmed that the attack had occurred in a post on Telegram. 'Yesterday, towards evening, an Su-30 naval aviation fighter jet was shot down by the Ukrainian side 50 kilometres west of Novorossiysk. This was done from an uncrewed boat with an R-73 SAM [surface-to-air missile],' the blogger, named Rybar, wrote. 'The pilots ejected and were picked up by civilian sailors. Both are alive, and to hell with the plane.' Mr Budanov, however, claimed that the second jet's crew had been killed. Ukraine has previously said it used the Magura seaborne drone to take down two Russian military helicopters in December 2024. It also managed to destroy a patrol ship in the Kerch Strait in March 2024, and the Tsezar Kunikov landing ship in February 2024. Ukraine a world leader in drone technology Drone warfare has become a crucial element of the conflict as the devices are far cheaper and quicker to produce than traditional expensive weaponry. For the past three years, explosive-laden combat drones, the smallest and cheapest variation of drones, have been used by Ukrainian forces to pursue and kill Russian invaders on the eastern front. But there are larger and more advanced types of drones which can be fitted with much more powerful missiles capable of destroying some of Russia's most expensive weaponry. Seaborne drones are a fairly new innovation in warfare. Kyiv has emerged as a world leader in the technology, having had significant success in the Black Sea, using drone boats to terrorise Russian warships. Germany has also become increasingly reliant upon them to defend the Baltic Sea from Russian saboteurs. In January, Germany deployed the Israeli-made 'Blue Whale' drone in the Baltic to survey and pursue suspicious vehicles, such as those seeking to cut undersea cables as part of suspected Russian sabotage operations.
L'Orient-Le Jour
04-05-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
A Russian plane shot down in Black Sea by Ukrainian drone
The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down a Russian fighter jet, a Sukhoi Su-30, with an R-73 anti-aircraft missile fired from a Magura naval drone in the Black Sea, the Ukrainian military intelligence service announced Saturday. "This is the very first destruction of a combat aircraft by a naval drone," the Ukrainian defense minister was pleased to announce on social media. "The historic strike was carried out by warriors of the special unit of Group 13 of HUR using an R-73 missile launched from the unmanned Magura naval platform ... This is the very first destruction of a combat aircraft by a naval drone," he added. "The strike took place in waters near the Russian port of Novorossiysk, where Russian forces are trying to hide the remains of their Black Sea fleet," Ukrainian authorities indicated. The Russian fighter jet was reportedly neutralized Friday by a Ukrainian military intelligence unit, Group 13, according to a statement from Ukrainian authorities. Outnumbered and facing a better-equipped Russian army, Ukraine has developed a strategy of aerial and maritime drones to counter Moscow since the beginning of the war. These devices, less costly and more discreet than traditional ships, have disrupted the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. Already in December 2024, Kiev had claimed the destruction of a Russian helicopter by a missile launched from a maritime drone.
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Maritime drone shoots down Russian fighter jet for first time, says Kyiv
Ukraine has destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a seaborne drone, according to Ukraine's military intelligence agency, in what it said was the world's first downing of a combat plane by a maritime drone. The GUR's statement on social media on Saturday said the fighter had been shot down by a military intelligence unit called Group 13 on Friday over waters near Novorossiisk, a major Russian port city on the Black Sea. The Russian defence ministry did not comment on the Ukrainian claim, but an authoritative Russian blogger believed to be close to the ministry said the jet had been shot down. 'The pilots ejected and were picked up by civilian sailors,' the blogger, who goes by the name Rybar, said on Telegram. Meanwhile, the mayor of Novorossiisk declared a state of emergency on Saturday after local authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged a grain terminal and several residential buildings, injuring five people. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed a three-day truce ordered by Vladimir Putin as theatrics but said Kyiv was ready for a full ceasefire. 'This is more of a theatrical performance on his part, because in two or three days it is impossible to develop a plan for the next steps to end the war,' the Ukrainian president said on Friday in remarks embargoed until Saturday. Moscow claimed the truce, set to coincide with its second world war commemorations on 9 May, was aimed at testing Kyiv's 'readiness' for long-term peace. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, said on Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv would survive to see 10 May if Ukraine attacked Moscow during the 9 May celebrations. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not be 'playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin's exit from isolation on 9 May'. The Kremlin has rejected calls by Kyiv and Washington for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. A Russian overnight drone attack on Kyiv damaged several residential buildings and set cars on fire throughout the city, the military and officials of the Ukrainian capital said on Sunday. Falling debris from destroyed drones sparked fires at residential buildings in Kyiv's Obolonskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, the head of Kyiv's military administration said on social media. Timur Tkachenko added that several cars throughout the city also caught fire from falling drone debris. The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said on Telegram that medics were called to the Sviatoshynskyi district, west of the city centre, where they provided assistance. Kyiv, its surrounding region and the eastern half of Ukraine were under air raid alerts for about an hour, starting soon after midnight on Sunday local time (2100 GMT). Russian shelling killed two people in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region on Saturday, while a drone strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson left one other person dead, regional officials said. In the central region of Cherkasy, a Russian drone attack late on Saturday sparked several fires, said the governor, Ihor Taburets. There were injuries, according to preliminary information.
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Ukraine Says It Shot Down Russian Fighter Jet from Sea Drone for First Time
Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a seaborne drone, Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency announced on Saturday, in what it said was the world's first downing of a combat plane by a maritime drone. Its statement on social media said the fighter had been shot down by a military intelligence unit called Group 13 on Friday over waters near Novorossiisk, a major Russian port city on the Black Sea. Outmanned and outgunned by its larger, wealthier Russian adversary, Ukraine has turned to drone warfare in the air and at sea as a way to fight back throughout more than three years of full-scale war. Ukraine's seaborne drones, which are much cheaper and smaller than conventional ships, have wrought havoc on Russia's Black Sea fleet. Ukraine has previously said it shot down a Russian military helicopter in December 2024 using a missile fired from the same type of seaborne drone. The Russian Defense Ministry did not comment on the Ukrainian claim, but an authoritative Russian blogger believed to be close to the ministry said the jet had been shot down. "Yesterday towards evening, a Su-30 naval aviation fighter jet was shot down by the Ukrainian side 50 kilometers west of Novorossiisk. This was done from an uncrewed boat with an R-73 SAM (surface-to-air missile)," the blogger, who goes by the name Rybar, wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "The pilots ejected and were picked up by civilian sailors. Both are alive, and to hell with the plane." The mayor of Novorossiisk declared a state of emergency on Saturday after local authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged a grain terminal and several residential buildings, injuring five people.
