Russian Mi-8 pilot panicked in intercepted conversation after being hit by a Magura V5 drone
Ukrainian military intelligence intercepted a radio transmission in which the pilot of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, shot down by a missile from a Magura V5 naval drone, described the operation's impact in a panicked tone, according to a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's HUR on Dec. 31.
The Russian pilot, in a panicked transmission, said, "There was a bang — I was hit. There was a water launch. Then, another flash. I didn’t see where it went, and the first missile went straight at me, exploding nearby. I felt it on the helicopter, and some systems failed."
The destruction of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter over Crimea by HUR special forces fighters
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's HUR reported that on December 31, 2024, for the first time, the Group 13 special forces unit successfully targeted an air asset using the Magura V5 naval strike drone with missile capabilities.
In the Black Sea near Cape Tarkhankut in Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by Russia, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter using R-73 SeeDragon missiles, according to the report.
An identical enemy helicopter was also hit but managed to return to its base airfield, the HUR said.
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