Ukrainian suicide drone hits Russian helicopter
Ukrainian troops advance in the Russian border region of Kursk. In the clashes, a Russian military helicopter is also attacked by a Ukrainian kamikaze drone. A video shows the incident.
A video has surfaced online showing what appears to be a successful attack by a Ukrainian FPV drone (First Person View) on a Russian military helicopter. According to the pro-Ukrainian portal Defense Express, this is the first visually confirmed incident of its kind.
The approximately 30-second clip was published, among others, by Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko on Telegram and Twitter. According to the reports, the video comes from a special unit of the domestic intelligence service SBU and was recorded on Tuesday in the Russian border region of Kursk, where Ukrainian troops are currently conducting offensive operations.
The video shows a kamikaze drone crashing into the tail rotor of a Russian helicopter of the Mi-28 type. The transmission ends just before impact. The clip also shows two other shots of a Ukrainian drone chasing a helicopter, but it is unclear if these are the same incident.
Sternenko does not write about the fate of the helicopter and its crew. However, Russian war blogger Aleksey Zemlyanov reported on Tuesday evening that a helicopter had been damaged in the air. The crew was able to safely land the machine and is said to be unharmed. It is not known whether this is the Mi-28 from the video.
A source within the SBU described the attack to the portal Kyiv Independent as "a unique special operation in military history." "The SBU has once again demonstrated a high level of professionalism, creativity, and innovation in the destruction of the enemy. We have many more unexpected surprises for Russia in store," the official added.
That Ukrainian drone pilots are also targeting Russian helicopters is not new. As early as last September, a kamikaze drone attempted, but failed, to intercept a fighting helicopter of the Ka-52 type. Recent reports of a Russian Mi-8 that is said to have been damaged by a drone cannot yet be visually confirmed.
The successful attack on the Russian military helicopter by a Ukrainian drone in Kursk highlights the escalating tensions between the two countries' military forces. This incident follows a previous attempt last September, where a Ukrainian kamikaze drone failed to intercept a Russian Ka-52 fighting helicopter.
