Ukrainian forces have destroyed a Russian helicopter using a missile fired from a sea drone, the first time such a weapon has been used in this way, Forces News reports.
Ukraine’s defence ministry posted footage on X that appeared to show the Russian Mi-8 helicopter firing at the Magura V5 sea drone before the autonomous vessel shot an R-73 Sea Dragon missile at the chopper.
The video then shows the helicopter crashing into the Black Sea.
In the post, the Ukrainian defence ministry called the strike “historic”.
“A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed using R-73 [Sea Dragon] missiles near Cape Tarkhankut in temporarily occupied Crimea,” the post said.
“Another enemy helicopter was damaged and returned to the airfield,” it added.
The music chosen by the Ukrainian defence ministry to put alongside the video was also pertinent, this being the Christmas song Carol of the Bells, a work originally composed by Ukrainian musician Mykola Dmytrovych.
Pokrovsk, located in Donetsk Oblast, is the birthplace of Carol of the Bells and remains one of Russia’s key targets in the war.
The R-73 Sea Dragon missile used in the strike is a short-range, infrared-guided air-to-air missile the Ukrainian forces have adapted to use with marine drones.
