Ukrainian drones have destroyed two Russian helicopters worth millions of dollars in Crimea, and a tugboat was also hit in Sevastopol Bay, according to the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service (GUR).
Why It Matters
Ukraine has recently stepped up drone attacks on Russian military and energy infrastructure. According to international media and government sources, Ukraine carried out at least 10 drone strikes on key Russian energy facilities in August alone. The downing of Russian Mi-8 helicopters by Ukraine could be a major blow to Moscow, as they are Soviet-designed multi-role helicopters that Russian forces use for troop transport, cargo delivery, and medical evacuation, as well as for armed combat operations.
What To Know
Ukraine’s intelligence agency said on Monday that it had destroyed two Russian Mi-8 helicopters worth an estimated $20-30 million in a drone strike on the Hvardiiske military air base, about eight miles from Crimea’s second-largest city, Simferopol. The strike also destroyed a tugboat. Vladimir Putin annexed the peninsula in March 2014.
Since Russia entered the conflict with Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow’s forces have suffered 159 helicopter losses as of Monday, according to Oryx, a website that keeps track of equipment losses.
According to GUR, a military tugboat, believed to be of the BUK-2190 type, was spotted in Sevastopol Bay, which was hit by a warhead, meaning it was attacked. The tugboat is used as a support vessel for naval operations.
A Russian S-300 air defense system (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) radar was destroyed at the Saky airfield in Crimea over the weekend, according to Ukraine’s special operations forces.
Also Read: Russian Attacks Continue in Ukraine; 1 Killed, 24 Injured in Zaporizhzhia