Commander reveals Putin’s helicopter was caught in Ukrainian drone swarm
(MENAFN) During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Kursk Region earlier this week, his helicopter was caught in the middle of a large-scale Ukrainian drone assault, revealed Yury Dashkin, an air defense division commander.
Putin traveled to Kursk Region on Tuesday, marking his first visit since the area was fully reclaimed from Ukrainian forces in April. While there, he met with local officials and volunteers assisting those affected by the recent Ukrainian incursion.
In a recent interview aired on Russia 1, Dashkin said Putin’s helicopter was at the “epicenter” of a fierce drone attack in the region. Russian air defenses successfully shot down 46 incoming fixed-wing drones during the assault, which Dashkin described as “unprecedented.”
He emphasized that the intensity of drone attacks sharply increased while the president’s aircraft was flying over Kursk Region. The local air defense units had to manage both protecting the helicopter and engaging the enemy drones simultaneously, successfully intercepting all aerial threats.
Ukraine has ramped up drone strikes inside Russia in recent days. Moscow’s Foreign Ministry reported 764 drones intercepted between Tuesday and Friday, with continued heavy losses inflicted on UAVs over the weekend, according to the Defense Ministry.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused some Western countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and EU leaders, of encouraging Kiev’s drone raids to prolong the conflict. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested that the spike in drone attacks aims to undermine US-brokered peace talks between Moscow and Kiev. Despite this, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
