Ghosts Unit Strikes Rare Be-12 Aircraft and Mi-8 Helicopter in Crimea

Strike drones of the Ghosts (Prymary) unit from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) targeted and hit two Russian Be-12 amphibious aircraft and one Mi-8 helicopter on the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea.

The official Telegram channel of the DIU published a video of the strike.

Since the aircraft were stationed in the open, drone operators were able to carry out precision strikes with ease, thereby weakening Russia’s anti-submarine capabilities in the Black Sea.

The loss of a Mi-8AMTSh-VN also reduces Russia’s capabilities not so much in transport operations, but in air defense, since these helicopters are used to intercept Ukrainian naval and aerial drones. The new AMTSh-VN variant features upgraded avionics with thermal imaging systems, the modern President-S defense system (for detecting and countering missiles), and the ability to employ Ataka anti-tank guided missiles, Verba surface-to-air missiles, and S-8 unguided rockets.

After the nighttime attack on the aircraft, the Krymsky Veter Telegram channel published a video of one of the Be-12s from the 318th Independent Aviation Regiment in Simeiz flying overhead.

The deployment of these aircraft is most likely related to the threat of their destruction, since as of 2022, the regiment had only five aircraft of this type.

In addition, the video shows the tail number ‘08 yellow’ on one of the Be-12s that was hit. This aircraft was manufactured in 1971 and became part of the 318th Regiment. In the 1990s, it was sent into storage.

The Be-12 is an amphibious aircraft designed for long-duration patrol missions over seas and oceans. Thanks to its floats, the aircraft can land on water, which also allows it to be used as a rescue aircraft.

Since this type of aircraft has long been out of production in Russia, and only 147 units were ever manufactured – delivered into service starting in the 1960s – any losses are impossible to replace.

According to estimates, the Russian Navy’s naval aviation has about 20 such aircraft left, which are used for patrolling the Black Sea and search and rescue operations.

It should be noted that, in addition to Russia, this type of aircraft was also in service with the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy. As of 2012, the brigade had four aircraft in its fleet. Today, none of them are capable of flying, as they require repair and modernization.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Ghosts (Prymary) unit of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) had successfully struck three Russian Mi-8 helicopters, having destroyed at least one, along with a Nebo-U radar, in temporarily occupied Crimea.