The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of what it claims were Geran kamikaze drones destroying two Ukrainian military helicopters deep inside Ukraine.
The strikes, reportedly carried out on Saturday, may have involved unmanned aircraft guided via satellite link. The video shows two separate hits on the same location, with an operator appearing to assist the drones’ targeting systems. The ministry identified the destroyed aircraft as a Mil Mi-24 and a Mil Mi-8 operated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The footage had previously circulated on Russian military Telegram channels.
Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Sergey “the Flash” Beskrestnov, who was recently appointed an advisor to the new Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov, stated that no additional Russian drones were nearby during the attack to relay commands, suggesting it was the first Geran deployment using a satellite internet link.
“Those [drones] were piloted manually at a low altitude to stay under the radar,” Beskrestnov said.
The Russian military did not comment on the Gerans’ targeting but stated that the strikes hit an area 46 kilometers west of the Kanatovo airfield in Kirovograd Region, deep inside Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Earlier this month, the Defense Ministry launched a major recruitment drive for the Russian Unmanned Forces—a new formation being rapidly expanded based on experience from the Ukraine conflict.
