Ukraine war latest: In world first, Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter

December 31, 2024

By Ukraine

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Key developments on Dec. 31:

Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter with anti-air missile in first strike of its kind
Russian attacks damage homes and infrastructure in Kyiv and Sumy oblasts ahead of New Year
Ukraine strikes oil depot in Russia's Smolensk Oblast, General Staff confirms
Russian officers trained for attacks on Japan, South Korea in event of war with NATO, FT reports

Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) destroyed a Russian aerial target with the Ukrainian-made Magura V5 naval strike drone for the first time, HUR reported on Dec. 31.

During a battle in the Black Sea off the Western tip of occupied Crimea, the special unit Group 13 launched SeeDragon missiles from the Magura drone. The unit downed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter and hit another helicopter, although the latter was able to fly back to the airbase.

A video from the battle shows the moment the missiles locked onto the helicopter before it exploded and crashed into the sea.

The Magura drone has helped Ukraine push back against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet by striking dozens of ships this year. They have been in operation since the summer of 2023.

It can cover a distance of more than 800 kilometers (500 miles), reach a speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), and is capable of carrying a 250-kilogram warhead. Each one is 5.5 meters long and costs approximately 10 million hryvnias ($240,000).

In June, HUR announced that the drones had been modified to operate anti-aircraft missiles, presenting a serious threat to the Russian air force over the Black Sea.

Ukraine previously destroyed several notable Russian ships with Magura drones, including a landing ship Caesar Kunikov, a Sergei Kotov patrol ship, high-speed Serna and Akula landing crafts, and a Tarantul-class Ivanovets missile corvette.

`Russian attacks damage homes and infrastructure in Kyiv and Sumy oblasts ahead of New Year`

Russian missile and drone attacks injured at least one person and damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in Kyiv and Sumy oblasts on Dec. 31.

Russian troops launched 21 missiles, including six Iskander ballistic missiles and one Kinzhal aeroballistic missile, and 40 drones overnight on Dec. 30-31.

A woman in Kyiv Oblast was concussed after falling debris damaged the roof of a house and smashed its windows, according to the regional military administration.

In the capital, missile wreckage fell onto the roof of a home in the Darnitskyi district. No casualties or damages were reported.

Russian attacks also damaged infrastructure in the town of Shostka, Sumy Oblast, according to local government head Mykola Noha. While no fatalities have been recorded so far, the strikes damaged 12 residential buildings, two educational institutions, three boiler houses, a healthcare clinic, a dormitory, as well as other facilities.

The damages and losses are still being clarified, Noha said.

During the mass attack, Ukraine downed six missiles and 16 drones, Ukraine's Air Force said. A further 24 drones were decoys that failed to reach their target.

Russia has not slowed down its attacks on Ukraine over the festive period. President Volodymr Zelenksy said on Dec. 29 that Moscow had escalated its aerial assaults on Ukraine during the holiday season.

On Dec. 25, Russia conducted a large-scale Christmas attack, firing 78 missiles and 106 drones against multiple cities.

`Ukraine strikes oil depot in Russia's Smolensk Oblast, General Staff confirms`

Ukraine struck an oil depot in the Yartsevo district of Russia's Smolensk Oblast, igniting the facility's oil reserves, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed on Dec. 31.

The depot, which supplies the Russian military, was targeted in a coordinated operation involving Ukraine's Special Operations Forces and the Unmanned Systems Forces.

The strike resulted in "powerful explosions, a fire, and heavy smoke" at the site, according to the report. It did not specify which type of weapon was used in the attack.

The confirmation follows reports from regional authorities detailing the damage caused by an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.

Roman Zakharov, head of the Yartsevo district, had previously reported on his Telegram channel that a Ukrainian drone targeted the fuel depot and an energy facility, sparking fires.

`Russian officers trained for attacks on Japan, South Korea in event of war with NATO, FT reports`

Russia developed offensive plans targeting civilian and military sites in Japan and South Korea in the event of a war with NATO, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 31, citing documents shown to the outlet by Western sources.

The leaked plans, drawn up between 2008 and 2014 to train military officers for a potential conflict on Russia's eastern flank, are reportedly still considered "relevant to Russian strategy" today.

The documents outline 160 potential targets, including civilian and military infrastructure such as roads, bridges, factories, and military installations in NATO-allied Japan and South Korea.

The plans detailed how striking these targets could protect Russia's eastern flank in a broader conflict by disrupting the "regrouping of troops in areas of operational purpose."

Military targets identified in the plans include the central and regional command headquarters of the Japanese and South Korean armed forces, radar installations, air bases, and naval facilities. Civilian infrastructure targets include roads, bridges, and rail tunnels.

Other key sites include fuel refineries, industrial facilities such as steelworks and chemical factories in Busan, South Korea, and 13 power plants, including a nuclear complex in Tokai, Japan.