Russian drone hits helicopter operated by hero of Ukraine, kills all on board

A Russian Geran strike drone destroyed a Ukrainian Mi-24 military helicopter piloted by Hero of Ukraine Oleksandr Shemet destroyed during a combat mission in the Cherkasy region, resulting in the deaths of all crew members on board. 

The Mi-24 attack helicopter disappeared from radar while intercepting aerial targets during a Russian drone assault. According to preliminary findings, the aircraft collided with a strike drone, causing it to crash. Wreckage of the helicopter and the bodies of four crew members were later found at the crash site, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

The incident occurred on December 17, when the helicopter took off to counter incoming drones in central Ukraine. The aircraft had been in constant contact with the command centre before suddenly vanishing from tracking systems.

Shemet, 55, was a highly experienced combat pilot who had been fighting since 2015, including during operations in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. A graduate of the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine for a high-risk aviation mission to the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol in April 2022.

By Sabina Mammadli