--- title: "Ukraine Apparently Blew Up a 12-Ton Russian Helicopter Using a Two-Pound Drone" description: "Ukrainian forces have reportedly brought down a 12-ton, three-crew Russian helicopter using a tiny, two-pound drone." date: "2024-08-01" modified: "2024-08-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/ukraine-russian-helicopter-two-pound-drone" categories: - "Drones" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "drones" - "Russia" - "the digest" - "ukraine" --- # Ukraine Apparently Blew Up a 12-Ton Russian Helicopter Using a Two-Pound Drone ![Ukrainian forces have reportedly brought down a 12-ton, three-crew Russian helicopter using a tiny, two-pound drone.]() *\Image: ArmedMaidan via X\* ## Chopper Dropper Ukrainian forces have [reportedly brought down]() a 12-ton, three-crew Russian helicopter using a tiny two-pound drone loaded with explosives. Footage [circulating online]() shows the Mil Mi-8 helicopter burning in a field near Donetsk near the front lines of the conflict, though the incident has yet to be independently verified. For quite some time now, Ukraine has been using low-cost, domestically produced drones for long-range attacks. According to military officials, Ukraine [produced around 200,000 drones]() in the first months of this year, compared to just 60,000 last year. As [*Forbes* reports](), the issue has gotten serious enough for Russia to send secondary helicopters to escort other helicopters. The latest successful attack comes after countless attempts. "Yesterday we wrote about the enemy’s attempts to operate drones against our army aviation," a Moscow-friendly blogger behind the Telegram channel called Voivode Broadcasts wrote in a [post](). "Unfortunately... today they succeeded." https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1818620706848227459 ## Drone Warfare According to the post, the helicopter was hit right after taking off. The drones are "scary for armored vehicles, infantry, and helicopters," another [post by Voivode]() reads. Mi-8 helicopters, which date back to the Soviet era, are conventionally used to transport troops. Apart from taking down helicopters, Ukrainian forces have also used drones to attack troops and naval vessels. Earlier this year, [footage emerged]() of a kamikaze naval drone destroying a Russian military speedboat in Crimea. The purported range of these drones is astonishing. According to Ukrainian officials, forces [hit a Russian supersonic bomber a record-breaking 1,100 miles]() from the Ukrainian border. But it's not just Ukraine relying heavily on drones. Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces were reported to have shut down 89 drones launched by Russia in one of the largest drone barrages this year, [according to *Euronews*](). **More on Ukraine:** *[Clueless Air Force Official Spills Military Secrets to Random Woman on Dating Site]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()