The Defense Forces of Ukraine delivered a strike on the airfield in the Oryol region of the Russian Federation, resulting in the destruction of two Russian helicopters — Mi-8 and Ka-52. The attack took place on the evening of February 20, 2026. This is reported by Militarnyi citing a Telegram channel «Spy's Dossier».
The strike was executed using drones on the airfield «Pugachevka», located near the village of Pugachevka in the Oryol region. It is a small dirt airstrip belonging to the Oryol Aero Club of the DOSAAF organization of Russia.
Strike on the Oryol region: which helicopters were destroyed
According to available data, the following were destroyed:
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multirole helicopter Mi-8 (tail number 53);
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attack helicopter Ka-52 «Alligator» (tail number 18).
Mi-8 belonged to the 319th separate helicopter regiment based in Chernihivka, Primorsky Krai. Ka-52 was in service with the 16th Army Aviation Brigade stationed in Zernograd, Rostov region.
Airfield «Pugachevka» RF: the role of the site
According to preliminary estimates, Russian military forces used the airfield as an operational point for a helicopter grouping. It is likely they were tasked with intercepting Ukrainian long-range drones.
The airfield «Pugachevka» is located in a rural area and has limited infrastructure. Despite this, it could have been used for temporary deployment of aviation near potential flight paths of drones.
Information regarding the extent of additional damage is being clarified.
Let us remind you that the Defense Forces of Ukraine regained control over an area of more than 300 square kilometers in the Gulyaipol direction in the Zaporizhzhia region. The operation, which lasted from the end of January 2026, led to the restoration of control over several settlements on the administrative border of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.