Ka-27 Helicopter Hit in Crimea as Ukraine Intensifies Attacks on Russia’s Military Backbone
AI Analysis
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian Ka-27 naval helicopter and an Iskander missile storage site in Crimea, highlighting an intensified campaign targeting Russian air defenses and logistics. This follows broader Ukrainian efforts to degrade Russian military assets, including drone control points and missile systems.
Key Takeaways
- Ukrainian forces successfully targeted a Russian Ka-27 naval helicopter near Kamyshly in Crimea.
- The Ka-27 is a Soviet-era naval helicopter used for anti-submarine warfare and naval drone hunting.
- Ukrainian Special Operations Forces used FP-2 drones to destroy a Russian Iskander missile storage site in Pasichne, Crimea.
- Ukraine also struck three Russian drone control points in Zaporizhzhia and Kursk regions.
- The strikes are part of a broader Ukrainian campaign to degrade Russian air defenses and logistics in occupied territories.
Why It Matters
The destruction of the Ka-27 and Iskander missile storage site demonstrates Ukraine's increasing ability to penetrate Russian air defenses in Crimea, a strategic stronghold for Moscow. These strikes weaken Russia's logistical and operational capabilities, potentially paving the way for future Ukrainian counteroffensives in the region.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian Ka-27 naval helicopter overnight in occupied Crimea.
According to the General Staff’s Telegram report, the helicopter was hit early on Feb. 17 near the settlement of Kamyshly, with a confirmed impact on the target.
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Kamyshly lies on the Crimean Peninsula roughly midway between Sevastopol and the Belbek air base – an area believed to be covered by Russian air-defense systems.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented on the strike.
The Ka-27 is a Soviet-era naval helicopter developed in the 1980s, primarily used for anti-submarine warfare. It is designed to detect and engage submarines at depths of up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) and ranges of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) from its home ship.
The aircraft has a maximum speed of about 270 km/h (168 mph) and an operational range of roughly 800-900 kilometers (500-560 miles). It can operate both from ships and coastal airfields.
In 2024, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported that Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was using Ka-27 helicopters to hunt Ukrainian naval drones and landing craft, with aircraft based at Kacha airfield in Crimea’s Bakhchysarai district.
The last publicly known destruction of a Ka-27 was reported in late November 2025, when Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) released footage showing precision strikes by its elite “Ghosts” unit against Russian air-defense systems and military assets in occupied Crimea.
HUR said the helicopter was among several high-value targets hit during that operation.
Separately, on Feb. 16, 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Forces also struck three Russian drone control points near occupied Hulyaipole and Zatyshsha in the Zaporizhzhia region, as well as near Anatoliivka in Russia’s Kursk region.
Gulyaipole and Zatyshsha lie along a frontline sector where Western analysts say AFU counteroffensives could take place.
Ukrainian officials said assessments of Russian losses are ongoing.
The helicopter strike comes amid a broader campaign against Russian missile and logistics infrastructure in Crimea.
Earlier, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported using FP-2 drones to destroy a storage site for a Russian Iskander tactical missile system in the village of Pasichne, releasing video showing powerful explosions at the spot.
Julia Struck is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.