Putin targeted? Russian commander says chopper was 'at 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 earlier this week during a visit to Kursk Oblast , raising questions about the president's proximity to the frontlines.

According to a report by Russian news agency RBC, Yury Dashkin , commander of an air defence division in the region, said that Putin’s aircraft was flying as Russian forces were repelling a significant drone assault by Ukraine.

“We were simultaneously engaged in an air defence battle and ensuring airspace security for the president’s helicopter flight,” Dashkin told RBC. “The helicopter was effectively at the epicenter of the response to the massive drone attack.”

The incident reportedly took place on May 20, during what was Putin’s first publicised visit to Kursk Oblast since Russian troops reclaimed most of the region from Ukrainian control in March.

However, Ukrainian observers and analysts have cast doubt on the framing of the event, suggesting it may be part of a narrative aimed at portraying the Russian leader as personally exposed to danger, thereby boosting domestic support.

Ukraine had launched a crossborder incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, the first major foreign military advance onto Russian territory since World War II.

Ukrainian forces maintained a hold on parts of the region for months before a large-scale Russian counter-offensive in March 2025, reportedly aided by North Korean forces, drove them back.