Ukrainian Drone Attacks Russian Mi-28 Attack Helicopter Mid-Air

August 8, 2024 Military Aviation, Russia, Troubled Areas, War in Ukraine
Stefano D'Urso
FVP drone vs Mi-28
The view from the FPV drone’s camera about to strike the Mi-28’s tail rotor. (Screencap from the video embedded below)

A video shows an FPV drone attacking a Mi-28 helicopter during a low altitude flight, apparently hitting its tail rotor, however the fate of the helicopter is unclear.

Demonstrating the high flexibility of the usage of drones on the battlefield, Ukrainian troops are now using them to intercept Russian helicopters. In fact, after reports of Russian helicopters attacked by drones, a video now emerged online showing a First Person View (FPV) drone attacking a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter.

The attack was reportedly performed by M2 unit of the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) Special Operations Center. The full video released online shows two more attempts to intercept the helicopter, in addition to the one that struck the tail rotor.

The video of the attack

The video starts by showing the first attempt, with the target being a Mi-8 helicopter, however the segment ends while the drone is still far away. The second segment shows the FPV drone rapidly approaching the Mi-28 from above its rear left quadrant. The drone points straight to the tail rotor, with the video ending in the second of the impact.

Then there is another attempt against an attack helicopter, although the videos cuts while still far away from it. It’s not possible to identify for sure the helicopter because of the distance and the low quality of the last video segment.

Ukrainian sources, while they said the first Havoc’s (NATO reporting name of the Mi-28) tail rotor was successfully hit, also mentioned the fate of the helicopter was unknown. On the other hand, Russian Telegram channels admitted the helicopter was hit and it performed a forced landing because of the damage.

It’s unclear if the FPV drone was carrying an explosive payload and, eventually, if it was triggered. Even without explosive, a small drone can still critically damage a tail rotor upon impact, as it was found out in various studies of the danger posed by drone strikes.

Other Telegram channels defined the damage sustained by the Mi-28 as minor and quickly repairable after the successful emergency landing. The info, however, can’t be verified as there are no photos of videos to attest the conditions of the helicopter.

The tail rotor is one of the most critical parts of a helicopter, meant to counteract the torque induced by the main rotor. Damage to the tail rotor would mean that the helicopter would start yawing to one side (depending on the rotation of the main rotor) or, in the worst case, to start spinning on its axis.

Because of this, it makes sense for the tail rotor to be a good target for the Ukrainian drone operators while attempting to bring down Russian helicopters. Trying to attack other areas of the airframe would also mean going for possibly armored areas and having to counter the downdraft of the main rotor.

File photo of Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter, NATO codename “Havoc”. (Photo: TheAviationist)

The location of the attack

The location where the attack occurred is another interesting aspect of this story. In fact, the Kyiv Post is reporting that, according to SBU sources, the Mi-28 was hit over Russian territory in the Kursk region.

The helicopter was reportedly part of the response of the Russian armed forces to the Ukrainian incursion in the region. As it is being widely reported, Ukraine launched a major mechanized assault across the border on Aug. 6, 2024.

News agencies are mentioning that the Russian Army reported about Ukrainian 1,000 troops and more than two dozen armored vehicles and tanks crossed the border. Footage capture by drones on Aug. 6 and 7 show Ukrainian vehicle along the 38K-030 Sudzha-Korenovo highway, about 10 km from the border. Other reports claim that Ukrainian forces might have gone as far as 30 km inside Russia.

According to the latest update from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Ukrainians have penetrated at least two Russian defensive lines and a stronghold. The ISW also mentions Russian reports about 45 square kilometers of territory and 11 settlements seized by the Ukrainian forces.

In addition to vehicles destroyed on the ground, both Ukrainian and Russian forces acknowledged the loss of at least three Russian helicopters, including a Mi-28, Mi-8 and Ka-52. There are no details about how they were brought down, although there are claims from both sides that drones might be involved again.

Air-to-air drone warfare

The video of the attack on the Russian Mi-28 follows the multiple reports of drones being used to attempt the interception of Russian helicopters and the videos of the attacks against Russian drones. This once again highlights the flexibility of these cheap and widely available systems in many different roles.

The latest role that we are now seeing covered by the drones is as a “surrogate” for MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and anti-UAV loitering munitions. This would Ukrainian forces to preserve the stocks of more expensive short- and medium-range air defense weapons for more significant targets.

The drone-on-drone wars are becoming increasingly frequent, with many instances recorded on camera. Ukraine appears to be also developing ways to bring down Russian drones without sacrificing its own in kamikaze attacks.

As we recently reported, an example of that is the attack of a Ukrainian UAV armed with a stick against a Russian reconnaissance drone. The video surfaced online shows the FPV drone making multiple attempts to strike the propeller of a ZALA 421-16E drone.

Although we don’t know the aftermath, the assault is claimed to have disabled the engine of the flying-wing Russian drone. Such encounters are now becoming commonplace, with dozens of videos released by both sides damaging each other’s UAVs this way.

About Stefano D'Urso
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Stefano D'Urso is a freelance journalist and contributor to TheAviationist based in Lecce, Italy. A graduate in Industral Engineering he's also studying to achieve a Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Electronic Warfare, Loitering Munitions and OSINT techniques applied to the world of military operations and current conflicts are among his areas of expertise.