Ukrainian navy intelligence mentioned on Tuesday (Dec 31) one in every of its naval drones had destroyed a Russian helicopter and broken one other one within the Black Sea.
In a battle close to Cape Tarkhankut on Crimea’s west coast on Tuesday, a Magura V5 maritime drone outfitted with missiles hit a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, Ukraine’s GUR spy company mentioned on Telegram.
GUR mentioned it was the primary time a Ukrainian naval drone had downed an air goal. Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the report.
There was no remark from Russia. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol in Crimea, mentioned on Telegram that two unmanned drone vessels have been destroyed close to the coast in a single day.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has ramped up drone manufacturing and developed naval assault drones.
The downing of a Russian helicopter by a Ukrainian naval drone was additionally reported by the outstanding Russian navy blogger, Voenny Osvedomitel. The GUR mentioned a second Russian helicopter managed to get to the airfield after it was broken within the assault.
In grainy footage launched by GUR, a helicopter flying over water may very well be seen focused by a number of projectiles. The plane is filmed falling down after the assault. Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the video.
Kyiv’s navy has used maritime drones to strike Russian warships and services on the Crimean peninsula, seized and annexed by Moscow in 2014.
