How Ukrainian Drone Crews Caught a Faster Russian Helicopter on the Ground

Fresh details have emerged about how Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter in occupied Luhansk Oblast on Oct. 30. According to the 3rd Army Corps, the drones could not catch the aircraft in flight, so the crews waited until it landed and then hit the area around its fuel tanks.

The video has since circulated more widely, and the strike joins other recent Ukrainian claims against Russian helicopters. The account below comes from the Ukrainian unit itself and is presented as its claim.

How the strike unfolded, according to the 3rd Army Corps

Ukrinform, citing the corps' Telegram statement, reported that a crew flying a Hornet kamikaze drone from the SKYFOM strike platoon spotted the Mi-8 during a raid on Russian logistics. The crew launched the drone to intercept it. Ukrainska Pravda described the unit as part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, while Ukrinform placed the platoon in an Unmanned Systems Battalion. Both outlets attributed the information to the corps.

The corps said the helicopter was forced to change course in mid-air. Its cruising speed was higher than that of the attack drones, however, so the soldiers waited. Once the Mi-8 landed, they struck near its fuel tanks. A second Hornet drone then finished the job, according to the corps. Ukrainska Pravda said the helicopter burned out completely after being hit by two drones.

The corps said Russia uses the Mi-8 to move troops and cargo, carry out evacuations and provide fire support.

How the footage spread

SOFX reported that the corps released the video on Oct. 30, showing the aircraft burning on the ground. The open-source analysis account OSINTtechnical later shared the footage on X. Ukrainska Pravda, citing its own sources, also placed the strike on Oct. 30. SOFX noted that the Hornet is the name of a U.S.-built model that Ukraine uses widely, though the corps' statements as reported by Ukrainian outlets did not describe its origin.

Where this fits among recent helicopter incidents

• Oct. 1: Ukrainska Pravda reported that a Russian Su-35 fighter jet shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter. Three crew members aboard were killed.
• Oct. 17: SOFX reported on a brigade's claim that an interceptor drone hit a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter.
• Oct. 30: The 3rd Army Corps said its drone crews destroyed a landed Mi-8 in occupied Luhansk Oblast.

SOFX also noted that it covered an earlier drone strike on an Mi-8 in 2025. The Oct. 1 incident differs from the others: it involved Russian forces, not Ukrainian drones, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Why it matters: what the episode shows about drone tactics

For readers following the war, the episode illustrates how small drone units are trying to reach targets that are normally hard to hit. By the corps' own account, the drones were too slow to catch the helicopter in the air. The crews adapted by waiting until it was stationary and aiming at its fuel tanks.

The corps' statement also shows what Ukrainian units say they are targeting. It described the Mi-8 as an aircraft that supports Russian troops with transport, evacuation and fire support, and the strike came during a raid on Russian logistics. The claim has not been independently verified in the reports reviewed here, and the video is the main public evidence cited.

Earlier on Around Prague: Ukrainian drones destroy Russian Mi-8 helicopter on the ground

Around Prague, based on reporting by Українська правда, Ukrinform, SOFX