Russian Air Force Ka-52 Shot down

A Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was shot down on March 20, 2026, by a Ukrainian fiber-optic FPV drone in the Pokrovsk sector of Donetsk Oblast. The strike was carried out by operators from the Predators of Heights battalion of Ukraine's 59th Separate Assault Brigade. The helicopter made an emergency landing and caught fire after being hit. Both crew members ejected but were subsequently killed by follow-up drone strikes from the 414th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade. The Ka-52, valued at approximately $16 million, was destroyed by a drone costing under $1,000.