A Russian military commander has claimed that President Vladimir Putin’s helicopter was at the epicentre of a Ukrainian drone attack on May 20, in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
The statement, made by Yury Dashkin, commander of an air defence division, was cited by the Russian news agency RBC on May 25.
Dashkin stated that his division was simultaneously engaged in air defence operations while ensuring airspace security for the president’s helicopter, which was reportedly at the centre of the defence response to the drone assault.
Putin visited Kursk earlier that week, marking his first known trip to the region since Russian forces reclaimed territory from Ukraine in March. Ukrainian analysts suggest that Dashkin’s statement may aim to bolster domestic support for Putin by portraying him as being more directly involved in frontline developments.
The Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022, remains Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. As global powers weigh in on efforts toward ceasefire negotiations, the latest developments continue to shape geopolitical tensions in the region.
