Russia Says Ka-52 And Mi-24 Attack Helicopters Fired On Ukrainian Military Positions

Russia has said that it has fired on Ukrainian military positions using Ka-52 and Mi-24 attack helicopters.

The images appear to show a Russian pilot getting into the cockpit of one of the attack helicopters involved before the war machine is loaded with ordnance and takes to the skies from an undisclosed location.

The images then show other Russian attack helicopters firing up their rotors, with a Russian attack helicopter then seen flying low over some countryside.

The attack helicopter can then be seen firing its ordnance before flying away from the scene.

The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday, 16th November, along with a statement claiming: “In the zone of the special military operation, Ka-52 attack and reconnaissance helicopters and Mi-24 combat helicopters operate in the interests of the Central Military District units.

Russian Ka-52 helicopter takes off on a combat mission in Ukraine in undated footage. Ka-52 “Alligator” is a Russian reconnaissance and attack helicopter of a new generation. (Ministry of Defense of Russia/Newsflash)

“Ka-52 attack and reconnaissance helicopters and Mi-24 combat helicopters operate in the zone of a special military operation in the interests of the Central Military District units.

“Helicopter pilots perform combat missions in mixed pairs to increase the strike potential of single crews.

“Army aviation strikes enemy ground targets with guided and unguided projectiles. The basis of the affected equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is made up of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

“The crews of the Ka-52 and Mi-24 carry out covert approaches to targets at extremely low altitudes; helicopter pilots launch aircraft missiles from a pitch-up to increase the range of destruction.

“Round-the-clock readiness of combat vehicles is ensured by the engineering and technical staff, which checks the readings of instruments, the condition of components and assemblies after each flight.

“The command of the Central Military District notes the high efficiency of the crews of the Ka-52 and Mi-24 helicopters, which successfully completed hundreds of combat missions during a special military operation.”

We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.

Picture shows Russian attack helicopter on a combat mission in Ukraine in undated footage. Ka-52 “Alligator” is a Russian reconnaissance and attack helicopter of a new generation. (Ministry of Defense of Russia/Newsflash)

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 266th day of the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 16th November, Russia had lost about 82,710 personnel, 2,871 tanks, 5,797 armoured combat vehicles, 1,860 artillery units, 393 multiple launch rocket systems, 209 air defence systems, 278 warplanes, 261 helicopters, 1,525 drones, 474 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,360 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 160 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Poland’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement that a “Russian-made missile” hit the Polish village of Przewodow about four miles from the Ukrainian border on Tuesday afternoon, killing two people.

It is the first time that a NATO country has been hit since the war began and came as Russia targeted numerous Ukrainian cities with waves of missile strikes on Tuesday.

The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, said that it was a “one-off incident” with “no indications” that it would happen again.

Duda said the missile was “most-likely” Russian-made but added that “we do not have any conclusive evidence at the moment as to who launched this missile.”

Russian helicopter carries out rocket attacks on the position of Ukrainian military in Ukraine in undated footage. Ka-52 “Alligator” is a Russian reconnaissance and attack helicopter of a new generation. (Ministry of Defense of Russia/Newsflash)

The Polish government has said that it has summoned the Russian Ambassador to Poland to request an explanation.

NATO ministers are preparing to gather on Wednesday at the request of the Polish government under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which states that all members of the alliance are to be brought together when the “territorial integrity, political independence or security” of any of its members is threatened.

If the incident is revealed to have been deliberate, this could trigger the invocation of Article 5 of the NATO alliance treaty, which states that an attack on one member is considered to be an attack against all members.

The White House has said that it cannot confirm if the missile was Russian, with US President Joe Biden saying on Wednesday that it was unlikely that the missile came from Russia.

Biden said: “There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that until we completely investigate it, but it is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia but we’ll see.”

Russian helicopter carries out rocket attacks on the position of Ukrainian military in Ukraine in undated footage. Ka-52 “Alligator” is a Russian reconnaissance and attack helicopter of a new generation. (Ministry of Defense of Russia/Newsflash)

Biden also convened a meeting in Bali with several other G20 leaders, including leaders from NATO members Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom, as well as representatives from Japan and the European Union.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the incident marks a “significant escalation” of the war.

Zelensky also said: “All of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia.”

Moscow has denied that it was behind the explosion, with the Russian Ministry of Defence labelling Polish media reports “a deliberate provocation in order to escalate the situation” in a statement.