Ukrainian FPV (first-person-view) drone shot down a Russian Mi-28N in Donetsk Oblast, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, said on Sept. 29.
Pilots from the 59th Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed the Russian helicopter near the village of Kotliarivka. The strike was credited to coordinated intelligence and operational efforts by the Unmanned Systems Forces.
Kotliarivka is situated in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, near the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the village of Mezhova.
“Whoever flies there ‘for a look’ — be prepared,” the brigade’s statement read. “For the future: do not give us any ‘surprises’ from the air — it will cost you dearly.”
A similar Ukrainian strike took place in September 2025, when a Ukrainian drone struck a Mi-28 helicopter in a similar fashion, with Brovdi attributing it to the USF’s 59th Brigade.
RBC-Ukraine said the Shrike 10 – the same model used in Wednesday’s attack – was also used in September’s strike.
SkyFall is one of the better-known Ukrainian drone makers, whose products also include the bomber drones known as the “Baba-yaga” and interceptor drones called “P1-SUN” – the latter a Ukrainian wordplay on the male reproductive organ.
The Mi-28N is a Russian attack helicopter built for all-weather, day-and-night combat. Equipped with heavy armor and an array of weapons, it is designed to take on tanks, infantry, and other targets on the battlefield with precision and firepower.
This is not the first time Ukraine has taken down a Russian helicopter, an asset valued at around $16 million, using a relatively inexpensive FPV drone costing just a few thousand dollars.
Ukrainian forces successfully shot down a Mi-28 over Russia’s Kursk Oblast in August 2024, using the same tactic, marking the first such incident and describing it as “a unique special operation in military history.”
The Mi-28 (NATO reporting name: Havoc) is an attack helicopter developed in the 1980s that entered service in the 2000s. It is armed with a 30 mm chin-mounted cannon and a range of missiles and rockets primarily used against ground targets.
According to Oryx, which tracks visually confirmed equipment losses, at least 45 Mi-28s and 85 Ka-52 attack helicopters have been destroyed or damaged since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, though the true figure is likely higher due to unverified losses.
Earlier on Monday, Reuters reported that Germany is financing 50,000 FPV drones for Ukraine, manufactured by SkyFall and equipped with autonomous targeting software from US firm Auterion, in a deal worth €90 million ($103 million).
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukraine is producing 10 million drones a year and is eyeing a production target of 20 million drones with foreign support.
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