How Ukraine's intelligence made history: Russian Mi-8 destruction

Defense Express reveals details.

Ukrainian defenders continue to make military history, successfully destroying an air target with a naval drone for the first time during real combat. This occurred on December 31, 2024, likely near the coast of occupied Crimea.  

Released footage shows Russian forces attempting to intercept Ukrainian naval drones using a fighter jet and two Mi-8 helicopters, but the hunter became the prey. Several Magura V5 drones equipped with R-73 missiles successfully targeted the Russian helicopters.

One helicopter was shot down, with the missile strike and its crash captured on video. The second was reportedly damaged but managed to reach an airfield. Later, intercepted communications from Russian pilots were also released.

This achievement reflects the meticulous efforts not only of the drone operators but also of all the fighters who closely coordinated to plan, organize, and execute the mission, as well as the developers of this advanced weaponry.

The report highlights the use of a specialized version of the R-73 missile, referred to as the R-73 SeeDragon. While details are unavailable, it appears the Soviet-era "air-to-air" missile, originally manufactured in Ukraine, was modified - potentially to function effectively in harsh maritime conditions.  

Notably, the R-73 SeeDragon successfully hit its target despite the Russian Mi-8 deploying thermal flares, suggesting it may feature an upgraded seeker with enhanced false-target filtering.

Additionally, the missile had to be integrated with a targeting system. Elements of its operation are visible in the video, where the sight uses its own thermal imager, and the fire control system indicates target acquisition. Combining the missile with a new targeting system is far from a simple task, highlighting the complexity and precision of the operation.

At the same time, the operator must maintain the target within a narrow field of view for the infrared homing head of the missile to lock on. While this is one level of difficulty on a ground platform, it's a completely different challenge at sea with the drone's movement and instability.

The significant gap between the initial reports of Magura V5 being equipped with R-73 missiles in May 2024 and today's successful combat use likely indicates that time was spent updating the fire control system and creating a specialized missile version. The important outcome is that the combat record of Ukraine's anti-aircraft maritime drones has now been successfully initiated.