Ukrainian naval drone makes history by destroying Russian helicopter in Crimea
Фото: ГУР
Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Directorate soldiers made history by successfully using a Magura V5 naval drone to take out an air target.
Ukraine's intelligence reported that.
According to Ukraine's intelligence, on December 31, soldiers from the Main Intelligence Directorate Group used a Magura V5 naval drone with missile weapons during a battle off the coast of Cape Tarkhankut in temporarily occupied Crimea.
According to intelligence, as a result of the use of R-73 "SeeDragon" missiles, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed.
Another enemy helicopter, similar to the previous one, was struck but managed to make it back to the airfield.
The intelligence reported that international experts recognized the latest Magura V5 strike platform as the most effective drone in the Russian-Ukrainian war. In total, at least 18 Russian vessels, including the speedboat "Tunets," were successfully hit by these Ukrainian-made sea drones.
It should be noted that explosions were heard in Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russians in Crimea on the evening of December 30 and Tuesday night, and the occupiers announced an attack by UAVs and surface drones.
"The loud sound that was heard was another air defense system intercepting and destroying two aircraft-type UAVs over the Black Sea. The situation is under control.
Given that the UAVs were shot down over the sea and at high altitude, I ask you to remain calm and stay in safe places," the so-called "governor" of Sevastopol, Mikhail Rozvozhayev, said.
Meanwhile, news channels in Crimea have reported that the Russian Air Defense Forces launched missiles towards Fiolent from the Omega Bay region. According to reports, two missile launches were based on the observed flashes.
Later, the same media outlets reported that the main explosions occurred in the Komyshova Bay area, and additional explosions in Kozacha Bay were also confirmed.
Later, Crimean Wind wrote about "loud explosions" in Sevastopol.
"Explosions are heard from the sea, Z-publics write that sea drones are attacking Sevastopol," the Crimea Wind Telegram channel wrote.
At approximately 1 a.m., Crimean Wind shared a photo of an explosion in the waters off Sevastopol. According to the publication, Russian aircraft deployed helicopters from Kacha to Sevastopol.
At 2:30 a.m., powerful explosions were again reported in Sevastopol.
For reference:
- The initial target of the Ukrainian surface drones was the Russian reconnaissance ship "Ivan Khurs." On May 24, 2023, three drones located 140 km northeast of the Bosphorus Strait successfully attacked the ship.
This was a noteworthy defeat, especially considering the Russian Black Sea Fleet only had three boats of Project 1241.1 equipped with weapons.
- In addition, on the night of February 1, 2024, six Magura V5 units attacked the Russian missile boat "Ivanovets". It sank, resulting in the death of all crew members (approximately 40 people).
As the representative of Ukraine's intelligence, Andrii Yusov noted at the time that there were only three such boats in Russia.
- This year, on February 14, the large landing ship "Ceasar Kunikov" was sunk near Alupka.
The special forces from "Group 13" of Ukraine's intelligence have successfully completed a mission using Magura V5 drones to destroy a Russian vessel, which was one of their newest large landing ships.
- Finally, the Russian patrol ship of Project 22160, "Sergey Kotov." Last year, in September, Ukrainian fighters managed to damage this corvette. But this night, Magura V5 drones near the Kerch Strait finally destroyed one of the youngest such ships of the enemy fleet.
In addition, the enemy suffered losses among the personnel, which are still being specified.
- On the night of August 9, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense took out another Russian high-speed boat called the "Tunets" near Chornomorske in the temporarily occupied Crimea using a MAGURA V5 naval strike drone.
This isn't the first time a Tunets has been caught off the coast of the peninsula: back in May, two Russian ships of the same kind were destroyed by reconnaissance aircraft, and two others were damaged.
It should be noted that last year, the Ukrainian military already destroyed at least two such boats. The occupiers use them, in particular, to patrol the Kerch Bridge. In particular, last fall, the Ukrainian Navy destroyed such a boat in the northwestern part of the Black Sea during an attempt by the occupiers to land.
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