Russian commander claims Putin's helicopter was 'at the epicenter' of Ukrainian drone attack

A Russian military commander has claimed that President Vladimir Putin's helicopter was "at the epicenter" of a Ukrainian drone attack on May 20 in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify this claim, and the commander did not provide any evidence.

"We were simultaneously engaged in an air defense battle and ensuring airspace security for the president’s helicopter flight," Yury Dashkin, commander of an air defense division, said, as cited by the Russian news agency RBC on May 25. "The helicopter was effectively at the epicenter of the response to the massive drone attack."

Ukrainian observers noted that the claims could be an attempt to garner support for the Russian president by painting him as more closely involved in the fighting.

Putin visited Kursk earlier this week, marking his first known visit to Kursk Oblast since Russian forces took back most of the Ukrainian foothold in the region in March.

Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. It held a significant portion of the territory until a successful counter-offensive by Russia in March, which was carried out with the help of North Korean troops.