Ukrainian naval drone downs Russian helicopter with missile strike for first time, say spy chiefs
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A Ukrainian naval drone downed a Russian helicopter with a missile strike in the first successful attack of this kind, say spy chiefs. Kyiv’s military intelligence said a second Russian helicopter was damaged in the Black Sea air and sea battle. In the strikes near Cape Tarkhankut on Crimea’s west coast on Tuesday, a Magura V5 maritime drone equipped with missiles hit a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, Ukraine’s GUR spy agency said.
The GUR said it was the first time a Ukrainian naval drone had downed an air target. There was no comment from Russia. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol in Crimea, said two unmanned drone vessels were destroyed near the coast overnight.
The downing of a Russian helicopter by a Ukrainian maritimel drone was also reported by the prominent Russian military blogger, Voenny Osvedomitel. The GUR said a second Russian helicopter managed to fly back to an airfield after it was damaged in the attack.
In grainy footage released by the spy agency, a helicopter flying over water could be seen targeted by several projectiles. The aircraft is filmed falling down after the attack. The video could not be independently verified. Following Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has ramped up drone production, aiming to build more than a million a year, and developed naval attack drones.
The bulk of the drones are unmanned aircraft which are being used by Ukraine, and Russia, on a large scale. Kyiv’s military has also used maritime drones to strike Russian warships and facilities on the Crimean peninsula, seized and annexed by Moscow in 2014.
