Ukrainian military intelligence has reported that one of its naval drones successfully destroyed a Russian helicopter and caused damage to another in the Black Sea.
During a confrontation near Cape Tarkhankut on Crimea’s western coast, a Magura V5 maritime drone armed with missiles struck a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, as stated by Ukraine’s GUR spy agency via Telegram.
According to GUR, this marks the first instance of a Ukrainian naval drone hitting an aerial target. The claims have not been independently confirmed.
No statements have been made by Russian officials.
In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has significantly increased its drone manufacturing capabilities and has developed naval attack drones.
Read More: War in Ukraine enters crucial phase amid push for peace talks. Latest Ukraine stories
The incident involving the downing of a Russian helicopter by a Ukrainian naval drone was also highlighted by the well-known Russian military blogger, Voenny Osvedomitel.
The GUR noted that a second Russian helicopter successfully reached the airfield after sustaining damage from the assault.
In grainy footage released by GUR, a helicopter flying above the water can be seen being targeted by multiple projectiles. The aircraft is shown descending after the strike. Reuters has not yet been able to verify the authenticity of the video.
Kyiv’s military has utilized maritime drones to attack Russian warships and facilities in the Crimean peninsula, which was seized and annexed by Moscow in 2014.
