On August 6, a Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) drone achieved a remarkable military feat by striking a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter over Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The drone, operated by the Special Operations Center “A” of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), successfully hit the helicopter’s tail rotor, according to a source within the SBU. This operation has been described as “a unique special operation in military history,” highlighting the innovative tactics employed by Ukrainian forces.
The same day, footage of the drone smashing into the helicopter’s tail rotor went viral on social media and attracted a lot of attention. The entire footage of the incident was made public by Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko on August 7, which sparked even more conversation about it. Although the SBU source stated that the helicopter was shot down, it is unclear from the footage what happened to the aircraft after the crash. The owner of the channel Voevoda Veshchaet, Russian military blogger Alexei Zemtsov, said that a Russian chopper was hit and had to make an emergency landing. Zemtsov did not, however, identify the kind of the helicopter, only stating that the crew had survived and the aircraft had been sent for repairs.
Observers, including Sternenko, have noted that this incident marks the first confirmed successful strike by an FPV drone against a helicopter in mid-air, underscoring the evolving nature of warfare. The SBU’s source emphasized the operation as a testament to Ukraine’s high level of professionalism, creativity, and innovation in combat, suggesting that more unexpected tactics could be deployed in the future.
This incident adds to the growing number of similar occurrences, including an unsubstantiated story from July 31 that claimed a Ukrainian drone damaged a Russian Mi-8 cargo helicopter near Donetsk. However, the Kyiv Independent was unable to independently verify all claims. Significant advancements are still being made in the continuing struggle, as both sides employ ferocious and creative combat tactics.