Russian combat helicopter has reportedly successfully intercepted a kamikaze drone that was launched from Ukraine.
Video footage has emerged that appears to show a Russian Mi-28 helicopter shooting down a loitering munition, or kamikaze drone, attacking Russia’s military facilities in the Oryol region, more than 100 miles away from the Ukrainian border.
The Telegram channel for Russian media outlet Mash reported that еhe drone was destroyed with a 30-millimeter cannon, and the target was detected with mast-mounted radar and thermal imaging.
According to the media report, a Mi-28N helicopter was scrambled to meet loitering munition flying in the Orel region.
Said to be an Mi-28 shooting down a Ukrainian drone with it’s cannon. pic.twitter.com/nwQOpWDjf8
— Fennec_Radar (@RadarFennec) August 30, 2023
The Soviet-designed Mi-28 has been used by the Russian air force since the mid-2000s and is also exported to a number of countries including Iraq. The Mi-28N Night Hunter is an upgraded version of the Mi-28 combat helicopter.
The Night Hunter attack helicopter is designed to provide enhanced combat capabilities against land, air and sea-based targets.
The first Mi-28N helicopters were accepted by what was then the Russian Air Force on January 22, 2008, when they were delivered to the 344th State Combat Training and Flight Crew Conversion Center in Torzhok.