Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (known by its Ukrainian acronym GUR) carried out a special operation in Russian-occupied Crimea that left two Mi-8 helicopters destroyed and likely sank the tugboat BUK-2190, which had been hiding at a pier, the agency said.
Drones from the GUR’s “Ghosts” unit were used in the strikes, the press service said.
According to a statement on Facebook, the drones hit two locations on the peninsula: Gvardeyskoye Air Base near Simferopol and a bay in Sevastopol.
GUR said the combined value of the Russian military’s lost helicopters is about $20–30 million. The destroyed vessel was identified as a harbor tug assigned to Russia’s underwater special operations forces. GUR described the unit’s troops as divers who conduct reconnaissance and are equipped with top-tier gear.
“Striking the tugboat significantly limits the combat capabilities of the elite Russian unit,” the agency said.
Video released by GUR appears to show drones hovering over the Gvardeyskoye Air Base, weaving between helicopters before crashing into an Mi-8. Separate footage shows a drone approaching the tugboat. No return fire or visible attempt to repel the attack is seen.
