Russia deploys helicters to destroy naval drones in Black Sea – Ukrainian Navy

Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk announced this on Ukrainian television, Ukrinform reports.

"They [the Russians] are using them [helicters] for counter-drone patrs. This mainly happens in the Black Sea. I don't recall them using helicters in the Sea of Azov – there's no particular need for that there. But in the Black Sea, particularly in the eastern part, helicters are frequently spotted. They have chosen this as one of their methods to combat naval drones," Pletenchuk said.

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According to him, helicters provide aerial surveillance and tracking of naval drones, allowing Russian forces to monitor and engage them more effectively.

Additionally, Russia is also deploying patr aircraft to aid in drone detection.

"They also use patr planes, which are mainly preller-driven models such as the An-26, Be-12, and Be-200. These are der aircraft, but their low speed and altitude make them effective for surveillance and searching for these drones," he added.