Operators of strike drones of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces destroyed a Be-200 amphibious aircraft and hit a Ka-27 helicopter in the Russian city of Yeysk.
Robert ‘Madyar’ Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, announced this.
The strike was carried out overnight on May 15 by personnel of the 1st Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces. Both aircraft were located at a military airbase in Yeysk.
Footage released after the attack shows the Be-200 aircraft completely destroyed. The Be-200 is a jet-powered amphibious aircraft that can operate from both land and water.
It is powered by two D-436TP turbofan engines, has a top speed of up to 720 km/h, and a range of up to 3,850 km. In transport configuration, it can carry up to 72 passengers, while in firefighting missions it can drop up to 12 tons of water.
The Be-200’s primary missions include maritime patrol, cargo transport, and search-and-rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the Russians attempted to protect the Ka-27 with a netted defensive structure. The extent of the damage remains unknown.
The Ka-27 is a ship-based multirole helicopter primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare, as well as search-and-rescue, transport, and patrol missions.
As a reminder, shortly after 1 a.m., local residents posted on social media about a series of explosions and a fire near the airfield in Yeysk, Russia.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have been using this airfield to base aircraft that carry out strikes on Ukrainian territory.
In particular, the 859th Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Naval Aviation Flight Personnel of the Russian Navy is stationed there.
The airfield also houses the NITKA ground-based training complex (an aviation technical system that simulates an aircraft carrier deck), which is used for takeoff and landing training for Russian carrier-based aviation.
