Direct proof of use
Ukraine's Defence Intelligence publicly documented Black Hawk helicopters in its aviation arm during the war with Russia. In November 2023, DIU said it already had a Black Hawk that helped perform combat and special tasks, deliver military cargo and personnel, conduct electronic warfare, and evacuate wounded personnel.
In March 2024, DIU said its Black Hawk helicopter crews were continuing combat and specialized tasks and rejected Russian claims that one of its intelligence-operated Black Hawks had been shot down.
Sources: DIU Black Hawk Fundraiser, DIU Crews Continue Combat Mission
Timeline
The first public appearance came in February 2023, when Ukrainian Defence Intelligence imagery showed a UH-60A Black Hawk with DIU aviation personnel and special-operations troops. The War Zone reported that the aircraft appeared to be an ex-U.S. Army UH-60A associated with Ace Aeronautics before reaching Ukrainian service.
By April 2023, DIU was describing training with the Black Hawk near the front. The reported drills included landing combat groups, evacuation, rope dismounts, and night flights. In November 2023, DIU tied the aircraft to combat and special tasks and described a Czech-Slovak fundraising effort for another Black Hawk for intelligence forces.
On March 17, 2024, DIU said all of its Black Hawks were serviceable and that their crews continued combat and specialized missions.
Sources: TWZ Initial Appearance, TWZ First Look In Action, DIU Black Hawk Fundraiser, DIU Crews Continue Combat Mission
Operational role
The sourced role is a special-operations and utility helicopter role under Ukraine's Defence Intelligence rather than a general Ukrainian army aviation fleet listing. DIU's own wording supports cargo and personnel delivery, electronic-warfare support, evacuation of wounded personnel, and unspecified combat and special tasks.
The April 2023 training account supports battlefield insertion and extraction skills: landing combat groups, evacuation, rope dismounts, and night flying. It does not establish armed strike use, and the cited evidence does not show the Ukrainian Black Hawk firing weapons in this conflict.
Sources: DIU Black Hawk Fundraiser, TWZ First Look In Action
Transfer and force-development context
The documented aircraft entered Ukrainian service outside the large public U.S. military-aid helicopter packages. The War Zone linked the first visible Ukrainian UH-60A to an aircraft formerly associated with Ace Aeronautics, while the Czech-Slovak Gift for Putin campaign later raised funds for an additional UH-60A+ for Ukraine.
The campaign page said HUR already operated several Black Hawks and described the new aircraft as intended for Ukrainian service. DIU's November 2023 statement said the Czech Defence Ministry would deliver the funded helicopter to Ukrainian intelligence officers once the purchase amount was collected.
Sources: TWZ Initial Appearance, Gift for Putin Black Hawk Campaign, DIU Black Hawk Fundraiser
