Russian air defense shoots down its own helicopter with crew

The Russian army lost a Mi-8 helicopter with three crew members. According to preliminary data, the helicopter was shot down by its own air defense system. One version suggests that a Su-35 fighter mistook the Mi-8 for a Ukrainian drone. The helicopter was being evacuated from a site due to a drone attack threat but was directed toward the same direction from which Ukrainian drones were approaching.

The Russian army lost a multi-role Mi-8 helicopter along with three crew members. According to preliminary data, the helicopter was shot down by its own air defense system. This was reported by the Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which confirmed the loss but did not disclose details, calling the cause "classic." According to information from the Telegram channel Exilenova+, the helicopter was being evacuated from a site due to the threat of a Ukrainian drone attack but was directed toward the same direction from which the drones were moving. One version suggests that a Russian Su-35 fighter detected the helicopter and mistook it for an enemy drone, after which it struck. This is not the first recent loss of Russian helicopters: in early September, Ukrainian drones struck Mi-35 and Mi-8 helicopters at the Taganrog-Centralny airfield, and Su-33 and Mi-8 helicopters were hit near Anapa. Amid growing losses, Russia plans to increase helicopter production — media reported plans to produce 72 Mi-8 helicopters during 2026–2027, double the current rate.