Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian Helicopters in Black Sea

KYIV, Dec 31 (Reuters) – Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Tuesday that one of its naval drones successfully destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter and damaged another during a confrontation in the Black Sea near Cape Tarkhankut on Crimea’s western coast.

According to Ukraine’s GUR spy agency, the attack, which involved a Magura V5 maritime drone fitted with missiles, marked the first instance of a Ukrainian naval drone downing an aerial target. The agency shared the news via a post on Telegram, including grainy video footage purportedly showing the helicopter being hit and subsequently falling from the sky. However, Reuters has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of this video or the claims made by the GUR.

There has been no immediate response from Russian authorities regarding the incident. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the governor of Sevastopol appointed by Russia, did acknowledge that two unmanned drone vessels were destroyed near the Crimean coast overnight, though he did not specifically address the helicopter incident.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukraine has significantly increased its drone manufacturing capabilities and developed specialized naval drones for attacks. This latest operation adds to a series of strikes by Kyiv’s forces using maritime drones against Russian assets, including warships and infrastructure on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

The incident was also noted by the influential Russian military blogger, Voenny Osvedomitel, who confirmed the downing of one helicopter and the damage to another, which reportedly managed to return to base after the attack.

This event underscores the evolving tactics in the ongoing conflict, with drones playing an increasingly central role in military engagements.