Footage circulating on Russian social media shows a Be-12 “Chaika” amphibious aircraft reportedly striking what appeared to be a Ukrainian naval drone in the Black Sea.

According to the Twitter account Special Kherson Cat, the incident involved a Russian Be-12 bomber dropping unguided, free-fall bombs on the Ukrainian “kamikaze” drone.

Reported as a Russian Be-12 bomber dropping an unguided (free-fall) bombs on the Ukrainian naval kamikaze drone in the Black Sea. pic.twitter.com/8c5GqxQ3tM

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) January 16, 2026

Telegram channel Fighterbomber reported that the Be-12 used PLAB-250-120 anti-submarine aerial bombs in the strike. 

First introduced in 1968, the Be-12 can carry up to 6,600 pounds of munitions but has traditionally been deployed by the Russian Navy for patrol and rescue missions.

While Be-12s have conducted counter-drone patrols since the early stages of Russia’s war in Ukraine, this week marks the first observed instance of one dropping bombs on a Ukrainian target. 

Despite Russian claims of destroying a Ukrainian unmanned surface vessel (USV), it has not been independently verified whether the target was indeed a USV.