.ON JULY 31ST images of a Russian Mi-8 transport chopper, plunged and burning, began distributing on social media. That by itself was not unique: Ukrainian forces have obliterated scores of helicopters because the Russian intrusion began. A lot more unusual was the insurance claim in the Ukrainian press that this chopper had been actually downed through a tiny drone.
An online video launched by the country’s armed forces a few times eventually seemed to offer support to that case: the footage (view listed below) reveals a drone attacking another Russian aircraft, this time around an Mi-28 strike helicopter, supposedly pushing it to create an emergency landing. Was actually these fortunate hits– or even signs of a development in flying combat?