A Ukrainian-made UAV weighing 2 kg shot down a 12-ton Mi-8 helicopter of the criminal army of the Russian Federation on Wednesday, July 31.
Points of attention
- The downing of the Mi-8 helicopter marks a significant milestone in Ukraine's defense strategy, showcasing the effectiveness of using UAVs against Russian military targets.
- The skill of Ukrainian drone operators has played a crucial role in improving the success rate of attacks on helicopters and other military equipment, enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities.
- The successful attack on the Russian Mi-8 helicopter highlights the growing threat posed by inexpensive FPV drones to Russian military assets, signaling a shift in warfare tactics.
- Despite the challenges of targeting fast-moving and high-altitude helicopters, Ukrainian operators have demonstrated exceptional proficiency in precision strikes with drones, causing notable losses to the Russian military.
- The strategic significance of this event could lead to increased efforts by Ukrainian forces to leverage drones in defending against Russian aggression, potentially intensifying the threat to Russian helicopters in the future.
How a small Ukrainian drone managed to hit a Russian helicopter
Journalists of the publication note that every month the Ukrainian military deploys about 100,000 strike FPV drones along the front line.
These inexpensive drones ram the military equipment of the occupation army of the Russian Federation and pursue units of the criminal army of the Russian Federation in open terrain.
They also fire at the artillery positions of the Russian occupiers.
On July 31, one of these small FPV drones, remotely controlled by an operator wearing a virtual reality headset, struck a Russian Mi-8 helicopter.
Footage of a Russian helicopter burning after the crash has spread online.
For the first time, the Ukrainian military tried to attack the helicopters of the criminal army of the Russian Federation in flight with the help of drones in September of last year.
The threat of drones has become so serious that the Russian Air Force began to allocate some helicopters to accompany others.
It probably took at least 10 months of trying before a Ukrainian drone operator finally hit a Russian helicopter. Months of lapses are understandable. The helicopter can fly at a speed of more than 240 km per hour at altitudes exceeding thousands of meters - this is too fast and too high for a two-kilogram drone to make a clear shot without great skill or luck on the part of the operator, - the publication emphasizes.
Why is this success so important for Ukraine?
The authors of the material assume that the operator of the Ukrainian drone who managed to shoot down the Russian helicopter was either very lucky, or he is really very skilled.
The Ukrainians spotted a 12-ton Russian helicopter with three crew members on board performing strike, transport and medical evacuation missions while it was still low.
After more than two years of war, Ukrainian drone operators have become extremely adept at targeting the most vulnerable parts of Russian targets: the open hatches of armored personnel carriers, under the extra armor on so-called "turtle tanks" and through the doors of reinforced infantry dugouts.
Compared to the 57 cm wide hatch, the Mi-8's 3.6 m diameter rotor disk is an easy target.
However, the journalists of the publication emphasize that the most impressive thing is the distance that the drone covered to hit the enemy helicopter.
The western outskirts of Donetsk are located only 5 km from the front line - completely within the radius of action of an unmanned FPV drone.
But the eastern outskirts of the city are closer to 16 km from the front line. Obviously, that's where the attack happened.
To cover 10 miles, the FPV may need help from another drone a few miles away, capturing and relaying its short-range command signal. This is a complex operation that requires careful coordination.
The Russian military has hundreds of helicopters and has so far lost only a hundred due to Ukraine's actions. Another loss for the Russians is not catastrophic. But now that the Ukrainians have destroyed their first UAV helicopter, they can redouble their efforts in this direction. Considering how many FPV drones the Ukrainians deploy every month, the threat to Russian helicopters may increase - very much - the authors of the article emphasize.
