During an official visit to Russia’s Kursk province on May 20, the helicopter carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin was directly involved in a critical moment of the country’s air defense.
According to the commander of the Air Defense Division, Yuri Dashkin, the presidential aircraft was at the epicenter of the response to an attack by Ukrainian drones.
+ Video: Ukraine Uses Drones to Destroy Russia’s Air Defense Systems
“In fact, [Putin’s helicopter was] at the epicenter of a massive enemy attack using unmanned aerial vehicles,” Dashkin said in a statement released on Sunday.
According to the commander, the president’s presence coincided with an unprecedented aerial offensive by Ukraine. “During the time the president was working in the Kursk province, the enemy launched an unprecedented attack with fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. The air defense group in this area destroyed 46 such drones,” he explained.
Dashkin also revealed that the intensity of the attack increased significantly during the presidential aircraft’s flight over the region. “We therefore simultaneously conducted anti-air combat and ensured the safety of the presidential helicopter in the air. The mission was accomplished. The enemy drone attack was repelled and all aerial targets were destroyed,” he emphasized.
In a broader context, the commander pointed out that between May 20 and 22, Ukrainian armed forces attempted a massive fixed-wing drone offensive against Russian territory. During this period, Russian air defense systems reportedly destroyed 1,177 enemy unmanned aerial vehicles.
Source and images: X @ActualidadRT | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
