The press service of the 11th Brigade of Army Aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a video showcasing the combat operations of its Mi-24V attack helicopters in destroying Russian long-range kamikaze drones Shahed-136/131. Primarily, the four-barrel YakB-12.7 machine gun was used to eliminate the enemy's aerial targets, although launches of unguided aerial munitions were also demonstrated (likely intended for hitting aerial targets).
Notably, the camouflage of the helicopters draws attention, as it may indicate a potentially Czech origin of these machines. It also raises questions about how supplies from the Czech Republic, Poland, and North Macedonia provided our military with enough Mi-24Vs to engage enemy "Shaheds."
It is important to note that in this case, the choice to employ Mi-24Vs for hunting "Shaheds" using standard onboard armaments was likely the most practical option considering resource and implementation aspects.
Here, one could mention Soviet developments regarding the installation of "air-to-air" missiles R-60 on the Mi-24 to destroy small aerial targets. However, it seems that under our conditions, implementing such an option was impractical due to the shortage of Soviet R-60 missiles.
Another point of interest is the demonstrated tactics employed against Russian UAVs in formations of three, which may consist of two attack Mi-24s and one Mi-8, likely fulfilling reconnaissance and target designation roles.
As for the sources of obtaining Mi-24V helicopters, authors from the Polish resource Defence24 provide their calculations, suggesting that Ukraine could have received up to 35 machines of this type as part of military assistance from the Czech Republic, Poland, and North Macedonia, although such estimates may be somewhat exaggerated.
Continuing from Defense Express, the figure of 11 Mi-24s transferred for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was mentioned in relation to Poland, while a significant portion of the 12 helicopters from North Macedonia may only serve as "parts donors"; additionally, the final number of Mi-24s transferred from the Czech Republic has not been publicly detailed.
However, such calculations are important for understanding the sources of resources that allowed the engagement of even helicopters for direct military support in the fight against Russian "Shaheds."
To effectively utilize Mi-24s for air defense tasks, a substantial number of these machines must be operational, which has been achieved notably through external defense assistance, and primarily due to the dedicated work of Ukrainian military personnel and engineers who maintain the relevant equipment.
