"This is not the first time, so we can say there is a pattern," Pletenchuk said during the telethon program. “The number of helicopter flights has decreased. And this was noticeable yesterday as well.

Russia has scaled back the frequency of helicopter flights over the Black Sea after Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) downed two Russian helicopters on the night of 30-31 December. Source: Dmytro Pletenchuk,

On December 31, 2024, Magura V5 missile-equipped naval drones made history, for the first time downing two Russian Mi-8 helicopters over the Black Sea. The operation was a unique case where unmanned platforms at sea were used to intercept enemy aircraft.