The moment 'Magyar birds' shoot down Russian army helicopters, including a 'flying tank', 150 km from the front line
Ukrainian drones shot down two Russian army helicopters in Russia's Voronezh region, more than 150 kilometers from the front line, Ukraine's 414th Separate Unmanned Attack Air Systems Brigade, an elite unit specializing in modern drone warfare, announced on Wednesday, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Four Russian helicopters were carrying out quick refueling and technical checks when the long-range Ukrainian drone strike hit two of them: a Soviet-designed Mi-28 (model nicknamed the “flying tank”) and a Mi-17, according to the 414th Brigade, better known as the Magyar Birds.
The unit said the strikes, carried out by drone pilots from several units, including the 429th Achilles Brigade, struck the rear center of a helicopter's engine bay, killing at least one aircraft maintenance specialist.
“Army Security Forces (USF) crews located and shot down two enemy helicopters – a Mi-28 and a Mi-17 – in the Voronezh region of Russia, 150 km from the contact line. An airstrip located more than 150 km behind the contact line, which was home to four Mi-28 and Mi-17 helicopters performing quick refueling and technical checks between flights, was visited by “a flock of small birds”, belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force. The attack was carried out by pilots of the 429th Separate Artillery Brigade in a jointly planned operation (…) on April 29 in the Voronezh region. The shots were directed at the rear of the engine compartment, bypassing the main rotor blades. at least one helicopter maintenance specialist was killed, after entering the drone's field of view. It will follow…”, writes the 414 Brigade announcement, published online.
Magyar's update:
Birds of the USF hunted down and struck two enemy helicopters — a Mi-28 and a Mi-17 — in Russia's Voronezh region, 150 km from the line of contact.
A field landing strip located more than 150 km deep from the line of contact, hosting four Mi-28 and Mi-17… pic.twitter.com/QlT9LQrD2n
— 414 Magyar's Birds (@414magyarbirds) April 29, 2026
So far, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow has not commented on the claims made by the Magyar Birds.
The announcement of this elite unit comes as Ukraine has in recent weeks stepped up its long-range attacks on Russian military facilities and infrastructure supporting the Russian military, both in occupied Ukrainian territories and on Russian soil.
Earlier, Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter using a first-person view (FPV) drone in the Donetsk region, the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine said on March 20.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian army announced that Russia had lost 350 helicopters since the start of the full-scale war until April 29.
