Ukrainian drone forces struck two Russian helicopters at a field airstrip deep behind the front line in Russia, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi said on Wednesday, April 29.
According to Brovdi, also known by his callsign “Madyar,” the operation targeted Mi-28 and Mi-17 helicopters in Russia’s Voronezh region, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the line of contact.
The helicopters were located at a temporary landing site used for refueling and maintenance between flights.
The strike was carried out by drone crews from Ukraine’s 429th “Achilles” Separate Regiment and the 43rd unit, in coordination with a special operations unit, Brovdi said.
He added that the drones hit the rear central section of the helicopters’ engine compartments, avoiding the main rotor blades.
At least one maintenance personnel was reportedly killed in the strike, according to the commander.
The Mi-28 (NATO reporting name: Havoc) is an attack helicopter developed in the 1980s but entered service officially in the 2000s. Typical armament includes a 30 mm cannon mounted in a chin turret, along with an assortment of missiles or rockets, used primarily against ground targets.
The Mi-17 (NATO reporting name: Hip), introduced in the 1970s, served as both a transport helicopter and a gunship, depending on the configuration.
An Mi-28 is estimated to cost around $15 million per unit, while one civilian cargo variant of the Mi-17, made in 2022, is listed for around $16 million on a commercial marketplace.