Russian Ka‑29 helicopter shot down by own air defences
The Defence Romania portal, citing Russian sources, reports that a Ka-29 helicopter belonging to the Russian Federation was involved in a crash in the Black Sea region (near the city of Anapa in Krasnodar Krai). A Russian air defence system allegedly shot down the machine.
The Russians have been facing issues with the quality of their equipment for many months and coordination issues related to identifying friends or foes. Social media has repeatedly shown photos depicting the consequences of failures involving Russian munitions that fell on Russian Federation territory.
Accidental strikes within their own country are not the only problems the aggressor's army faces. In the past, the Russians have destroyed their equipment due to so-called friendly fire. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, for example, an S-300 air defence system from the aggressor's arsenal was lost. Friendly fire also destroyed a Zala Kub drone in 2024.
This time, Putin's army lost a Ka-29 helicopter, which was shot down in the Black Sea region. According to reports cited by the Romanian Defence Romania portal, the aircraft belonging to the Black Sea Fleet was shot down by a Pantsir-S1 complex.
"The system hit the helicopter due to a malfunction in the friend-or-foe identification system," the report stated. The machine was struck by allied weapons, most likely during an attack by Ukrainians directed at Russian positions.
Russians shot down their own Ka-29 helicopter
The aforementioned machine, eliminated from combat by the Russians, Kamov Ka-29, is a helicopter from the 1970s. Its first flight took place in 1976, essentially representing an evolution of its predecessor, the Ka-27. It differs from the older generation mainly by its fuselage, which has been lengthened forward to accommodate a three-person crew sitting side by side. Additionally, the Ka-29 can carry 15 soldiers with complete equipment on board.
The manufacturer decided to forgo the tail rotor in the Ka-29 helicopter shot down in the Black Sea region. This is due to coaxial rotors on its upper part, i.e., two rotors above the machine instead of a single rotor with another at the rear.
This design's propulsion includes two Klimov TV3-117V engines. Each generates nearly 2,200 horsepower, allowing the Ka-29 to reach up to 250 km/h. A fully fuelled helicopter of this type has a maximum range of just over 450 km. Its armament includes eight 9M114 anti-tank guided missiles with a range of up to 5 km. Additionally, the Ka-29 can be equipped with pods carrying 80 mm rockets and bombs.
