The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has reported a significant military operation near Crimea, confirming the destruction of two Russian Mi-8 helicopters using maritime drones on 31 December 2024.
This marks a historic first: the first confirmed instance of a maritime drone successfully neutralizing an airborne target.
Ukrainian special forces from the "Group 13" unit deployed Magura V5 maritime drones equipped with rocket armaments in the Black Sea near Russian-occupied Crimea. The operation resulted in the complete destruction of two Russian Mi-8 helicopters, with a third helicopter damaged but managing to return to base.
Radio interception of a Russian helicopter pilot revealed the moment of impact, with the pilot stating: "There was a bang - they hit me. Launch from water. After that, there was another flash. I didn't see where it went, but the first one went directly at me and exploded somewhere nearby
- I felt it on the helicopter, some systems failed."
The attack follows previous drone incidents in the region, including explosions in Sevastopol on 30 December
. Ukrainian maritime drones like the Magura V5 have been progressively upgraded, with reports indicating the installation of anti-aircraft missiles as early as May 2024.
Initially, Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the destruction of one helicopter. Subsequently, additional sources corroborated the elimination of a second aircraft. Russian military bloggers also acknowledged the loss of two helicopters on 1 January, as per Ukrainska Pravda.
This operation underscores the evolving capabilities of Ukrainian maritime drone technology in the ongoing war.
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