CHOPPER DOWNED
Dramatic world-first moment game-changing new Ukrainian sea drone blows £12m Putin Mi-8 attack helicopter out of the sky
Watch the historic moment the sea drone takes down an aerial target
DRAMATIC footage shows the moment Ukraine claimed the historic downing of a Russian M-8 military helicopter off the coast of occupied Crimea by a missile-firing sea drone.
Kyiv's military intelligence announced the strike in the Black Sea with a Magura V5 and included a clip of the historic moment.
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In the black-and-white footage taken from the sea drone, bursts of water can be seen around the drone launching into the air as Vladimir Putin's chopper attacked.
Viewers can quickly spot the Russian aircraft in the top right-hand corner of the video nearing the reticle of the drone's scope before it disappears briefly from view.
Another angle then shows the chopper in the drone's line of sight with a red box marking out the Russian target.
Missiles can then be seen blasting through the sky before making impact with the Mi-8 which plummeted into the sea.
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The Mi-8 is reported to cost up to $15 million (£12 million) and has previously been used by Russia in the conflict with Ukraine to transport weapons and personnel.
It is also equipped with precision bombing capabilities and can be used to provide fire support to forces on the ground.
Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) ended the video of the successful attack with a Happy New Year message.
A statement confirmed: "On December 31, 2024, soldiers of the GUR special unit Group 13 of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine for the first time in history hit an air target using a Magura V5 sea drone equipped with missile weapons.
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"During a battle in the Black Sea near Cape Tarkhankut of temporarily occupied Crimea, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed by the use of R-73 ‘Sea Dragon’ missiles.
"Another similar enemy helicopter was hit by fire and was able to reach the base airfield."
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The R-73 is a short-range, infrared-guided air-to-air missile which Ukraine has adapted for use on marine drones.
Russia did not immediately confirm the loss of the military helicopter.
But, Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russian-governor of Sevastopol in Crimea said on Telegram that two unmanned drone vessels were destroyed near the coast overnight.
Ukraine has become a world leader in the use of domestically produced marine drones, using them to destroy multiple Russian warships in the Black Sea.
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The Kamikaze drones are remotely controlled via a console and use GPS and infrared cameras.
They are loaded with over 300kg of explosives with a range of up to 500 miles.
At just 5.5 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, such sleek and stealthy sea drones are tricky to spot in the sea, especially at night.
Previously, the Magura V5 had only been used to sink other vessels including Russian landing ships, patrol ships, intelligence ships and frigates.
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According to Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, as of December 28, the Magura V5 drone controlled by special unit Group 13 destroyed or damaged 15 Russian naval vessels.
The has called this a "landmark achievement mark[ing] a significant turning point in naval warfare, demonstrating the transformative potential of unmanned systems in reshaping military dynamics."
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