• Ukraine said it destroyed a Russian helicopter with a seaborne drone for the first time.
• Footage appeared to show a missile launched from the sea and a helicopter falling from the sky.
• Ukraine's sea drones have proved a pivotal technology, helping it combat Russia's vast navy.

New video footage shows what Ukriane said it a world-first: one of its seaborne drones destroying a flying target.

The clip purports to show a Ukrainian Magura V5 sea drone destroying a Russian Mi-8 helicopter.

It was shared by Ukraine's defence-intelligence agency, commonly known as the GUR.

The footage, which appears to show thermal imagery taken from the drone, shows a helicopter in the sky and a bright object heading towards the helicopter.

The helicopter then appears to fall, and an object is seen crashing into the water. The video shows the same incident from multiple angles.

It finishes with the English text: "Happy new 2025 year."

You can watch the footage here:

The GUR said that soldiers took the shot on Tuesday, destroying the helicopter with a drone-launched missile.

It said it was the first-ever example of such a strike.

The exchange took place in the Black Sea, near Cape Tarkhankut in Crimea, the Ukrainian region that Russia annexed in 2014.

The sea drone used R-73 "SeeDragon" missiles, the GUR said. Those are short-range air-to-air missiles that have infrared homing technology.

The GUR said another, similar Russian helicopter was hit too but managed to make it back to an airfield. It's not clear if it was hit by drones, or other weaponry.

The operation was credited to Ukraine's Group 13, which operates the sea drones and has claimed responsibility for other daring strikes.

Helicopters — which fly slower than most planes — have been targeted by different types of drones before.

Ukraine appeared to take down another Mi-8 with an aerial drone earlier this year.

The Magura V5 is a multi-use uncrewed surface vessel that's made by Ukraine.

Drones have been used in Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than in any other conflict in history.

That includes large, military-grade, and small, civilian-style drones in the air, as well as naval drones.

Its naval drones have targeted, damaged, and destroyed some Russian ships, helping Ukraine in its lopsided fight against Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Ukraine had sunk, destroyed, or damaged at least 24 Russian vessels in the Black Sea as of June, according to the US, and Russia moved many of its remaining vessels further away from Ukraine.

Ukraine's drones have allowed it to largely neutralize Russia's navy, without Ukraine having any warships of its own.

The drones have also laid mines to target Russian ships and attacked Russian oil platforms.

Ukraine typically loads its naval drones with explosives and drives them directly into targets to detonate on impact. Ukraine has also added missiles to some, like some of its Magura V5s.

The drones have also had firefights with Russian helicopters, aircraft, and patrol boats.

Ukraine makes its own sea drones, which, alongside the Magura V5, include the powerful Sea Baby drone.