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Ukraine Deploys Helicopter Fleet to Counter Shahed Drone Attacks Daily, Says Syrskyi
Army aviation helicopters are now flying continuous, daily sorties to intercept and destroy Russian attack drones before they reach populated areas, announced Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi at his briefing with journalists on June 21.
General Syrskyi explained, “Our helicopter detachments conduct round-the-clock reconnaissance and engagement missions along key front-line sectors. We have expanded rotary-wing deployments so that these aircraft can detect, track and neutralize Shaheds at stand-off ranges, relieving pressure on ground-based air defenses.”
Ukrainian helicopter shoots down a Russian Shahed attack drone. pic.twitter.com/8hQR3s5ZEg
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) February 8, 2025
Also, Syrskyi noted that a major boost has come through cooperation with Canada, which has supplied Ukraine’s helicopter fleet with modern electro-optical and infrared targeting pods, precision-guided munitions and upgraded communications suites. “These systems greatly enhance our crews’ situational awareness and engagement accuracy, extending each helicopter’s endurance on station,” he said.
In parallel, Ukrainian engineers have integrated advanced mission-management software and sustainable logistics packages—such as modular fuel bladders and rapid-reload weapon stations—allowing helicopters to maintain a higher sortie tempo with fewer ground-resupply stops. By fusing these helicopter operations with newly fielded tactical radars and mobile fire groups, Ukraine has created a layered aerial shield: early warning from radar arrays triggers both ground-based and rotary-wing responses, maximizing the chance to destroy Shahed drones at every phase of their approach as was reported on a briefing with journalists.
Earlier, President Zelenskyy stated that four Ukrainian companies have begun producing interceptor systems to counter loitering munitions such as Shahed drones, with two firms demonstrating particularly strong results. He noted that mobile fire groups are no longer relying on machine guns, having shot down dozens of enemy drones using these domestically developed interceptors.
