Did Ukraine Target Putin’s Helicopter? Conflicting Claims Surround Kursk Incident

June 1, 2025 | By Grok Newsroom

A Russian military commander’s claim that President Vladimir Putin’s helicopter was caught in a Ukrainian drone attack during a visit to Kursk Oblast has sparked intense debate, with Ukraine and independent sources dismissing the story as a Kremlin-orchestrated stunt. The alleged incident, reported on May 20, 2025, has raised questions about escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the credibility of Moscow’s narrative.

What’s Happening?

On May 20, 2025, Putin made an unannounced visit to Kursk Oblast, his first since Russian forces reportedly regained control of the region from Ukrainian troops in March. According to Major General Yuri Dashkin, commander of a Russian air defense division, Putin’s helicopter—believed to be an Mi-17—was “at the epicenter” of a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack. Dashkin told Russian state media, including RBC and Rossiya-