Marine drone revolution: Ukrainians strike down Russian chopper
During the night, Ukrainian drones launched attacks on targets in Russian-occupied Crimea. Marine drones were also involved in the operation. One of these drones, the Magura V5, engaged in a naval battle with two Russian helicopters. The vessel, armed with rockets, shot down one helicopter and seriously damaged the other.
Ukrainian military intelligence described the event as groundbreaking, marking the first time in history that a marine drone successfully destroyed an airborne target.
The Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) announced that they were the first in the world to shoot down a helicopter using a marine drone. The incident occurred near the Tarkhankut Peninsula in the northwestern part of occupied Crimea.
The war in Ukraine: The most important information in our live report
"On December 31, 2024, for the first time in history, soldiers of the HUR Group 13 special unit successfully struck an aerial target using a Magura V5 naval strike drone equipped with missile weaponry," HUR reported on its Telegram channel.
The operation involved the marine drone Magura V5, which was armed with the R-73 'SeeDragon' missile. During the mission, a Russian Mi-8 multi-purpose helicopter was destroyed. Additionally, another enemy helicopter sustained damage but was able to return to its base, according to HUR.
Recording of the attack
The announcement was accompanied by a video recording from a camera mounted on the Ukrainian drone. The footage shows the unmanned aerial vehicle being attacked from the air, probably with machine gun fire. The moment when the Russian helicopter is hit and falls into the Black Sea is also visible.
The recording background features the carol "Szczedryk," known worldwide as "Carol of the Bells," composed by Ukrainian musician Mykola Leontovych. The film ends with the caption: "Happy new 2025 year."
