Russian Air Defenses Fire on Own Helicopter Near Moscow Amid Drone Panic

Russian air defense systems appear to have mistakenly targeted one of their own helicopters during a nighttime drone attack near Moscow, Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi reported on April 10, citing videos shared by local residents.

Footage shows a helicopter flying over a residential area at night while tracer fire from anti-aircraft weapons lights up the sky in an apparent attempt to shoot it down.

Based on the videos, it appears Russian forces mistook their own helicopter for a hostile drone amid ongoing drone attacks across several- Russian regions.

The incident took place near the town of Naro-Fominsk, just southwest of Moscow. Russian propagandist media outlets initially claimed an unidentified drone had been shot down in the area.

Locals reported a powerful explosion at around 10:30 pm on April 9. The blast was so loud that car alarms went off in some neighborhoods and windows shook from the shockwave.

The helicopter may have been involved in efforts to intercept incoming drones, as Russian forces have increasingly relied on helicopters for this purpose during overnight attacks on Moscow and other cities.

Previously, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses had destroyed 42 Ukrainian drones overnight in multiple regions, including Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol, and Moscow, as well as over occupied Crimea.

Earlier, on November 26, 2024, an An-2 aircraft operated by the Russian airline “RusAvia” came under fire near Salavat, Bashkortostan, after being mistaken for a Ukrainian drone.

No injuries were reported, and the plane landed in Ufa, located approximately 150 kilometers away. Russia’s Volga Region Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the incident.

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