Ukrainian FPV drone destroys Russian Mi-8 helicopter, military says
Editor’s note: Ukraine’s military initially reported that a Russian Mi-28N attack helicopter had been shot down with an FPV drone. Following further reconnaissance, the report was corrected to clarify that the downed aircraft was a Mi-8 transport helicopter.
A Ukrainian FPV (first-person-view) drone took down a Russian Mi-8 in Donetsk Oblast, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, said on Sept. 29.
Pilots from the 59th Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed the Russian helicopter near the village of Kotliarivka. The strike was credited to coordinated intelligence and operational efforts by the Unmanned Systems Forces.
Kotliarivka is situated in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, near the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the village of Mezhova.
"Whoever flies there 'for a look' — be prepared," the brigade’s statement read. "For the future: do not give us any 'surprises' from the air — it will cost you dearly."
The Mi-8 is a Soviet-designed twin-engine helicopter widely used for transport, combat support, and humanitarian missions.
Introduced in the 1960s, it remains one of the most widely operated helicopters globally, valued for its versatility, durability, and ability to operate in challenging environments.
This is not the first time Ukraine has taken down a Russian helicopter, an asset valued in millions of dollars, using a relatively inexpensive FPV drone costing just a few thousand dollars.
Ukrainian forces successfully shot down a Mi-28 over Russia’s Kursk Oblast in August 2024, using the same tactic, marking the first such incident and describing it as "a unique special operation in military history."
