Russian attack helicopter was downed by a Ukrainian drone, according to Kyiv’s military.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said it had successfully targeted the Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” helicopter, worth an estimated $16 million, over Ukrainian territory, posting video of what it said showed the strike.
Ukraine has used drones to considerable effect on the front line, causing Russia to face high losses of troops and equipment. The strike on a Russian helicopter further demonstrates these capabilities.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces’ Bombus Balista unit said it had successfully used an FPV (first-person view) drone to strike a Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter.
A video posted on social media appears to show the drone targeting the helicopter as it is on combat patrol over Ukrainian territory. No date or specific location was given for the operation.
The post described it as a calculated strike that added to the further attrition of Russian aerial assets.
In May 2024, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” helicopter. On February 7 this year, another Ka-52 with its crew was taken down by a shoulder-launched MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, according to Ukraine’s United24 Media.
Missiles and drones launched by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have struck other high-value Russian military assets, according to reports, including a $45 million Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system in May and a rare Uragan multiple launch rocket system, United 24 Media reported.
On Saturday, Ukrainian security service drones struck an ammunition depot used by Russia’s 126th Coastal Defense Brigade in the southern Crimean Peninsula, causing a large explosion and fire, according to the Kyiv Independent citing an unnamed security official.
The depot, located near a key highway between Simferopol and Alushta on the occupied peninsula, housed military equipment, ammunition and fuel storage facilities.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces’ Bombus Balista unit: “The Ka-52 attempted a combat patrol over Ukrainian fields, but did not anticipate the presence of our tactical drone group ‘Bombus.'”
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in April that his country would step up production of long-range drones and ground-based robotic systems.
Ukraine’s drone campaign targeting Russian military facilities continues apace and following the strike on Crimea, Ukraine’s Security Service told the Kyiv Independent “efforts to degrade (Russia’s) military capabilities will continue.”
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