These images purport to show Russian attack helicopters launching missiles at Ukrainian armoured vehicles and military positions.
The footage reportedly shows one of the Ka-52 attack helicopters being loaded with ordnance before a pilot climbs into the cockpit and prepares to take off.
The helicopter gunship can be seen taking off from an undisclosed location before taking to the skies.
It can then be seen flying low over what appears to be Ukrainian countryside before it unleashes its ordnance on unseen targets.
The images then cut to explosions, presumably showing the Ukrainian positions being hit by the helicopter’s ordnance.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday, 21st October, along with a statement claiming: “The crews of the Ka-52 helicopters of the WMD [Western Military District] army aviation carried out missile launches at the discovered strongholds and armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“In the course of the special military operation, the helicopter crews of the army aviation of the Western Military District continue to carry out the tasks of destroying the armoured vehicles and military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, escorting military columns, delivering troops, military cargo, and aviation support for units. All flights take place at extremely low altitude.
“When performing combat sorties, pilots of Ka-52 reconnaissance and attack helicopters launched missiles at the discovered fortified strongholds and armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. […”]
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 240th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 21st October, Russia had lost about 66,750 personnel, 2,573 tanks, 5,258 armoured combat vehicles, 1,648 artillery units, 372 multiple launch rocket systems, 189 air defence systems, 269 warplanes, 243 helicopters, 1,325 drones, 329 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,006 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 147 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The White House has said that Iran has increased its involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by giving technical support to Russian forces operating Iranian-made drones to bomb civilian targets.
John Kirby, of the White House’s National Security Council, said on Thursday that Iranian advisers were in Crimea to provide the Russian military with training and maintenance.
The United Kingdom is applying new sanctions to three Iranian individuals and to a business for supplying Russia with drones to attack Ukraine.
The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that by providing drones to Russia, Iran is “actively warmongering, profiting off Russia’s abhorrent attacks on Ukrainian citizens, and adding to the suffering of the people and the destruction of critical infrastructure.”
The European Union agreed to apply sanctions against the same business and the three individuals shortly before the United Kingdom’s announcement.
Iran has denied supplying drones to Moscow and the Kremlin has accused the West of trying to put “pressure” on Iran.
British intelligence has said that Russia’s recent admission that a “difficult situation has emerged” in the Kherson region shows that the Russian authorities could be considering withdrawing their forces from the area west of the Dnipro River.
Ukraine has begun restricting electricity supplies across the country, beginning at 7am on Thursday. Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that over 300 attacks by Russia had destroyed a third of all power plants across Ukraine.
President Zelensky said that citizens need to prepare for “rolling blackouts”.
The UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, has revealed that a Russian aircraft released a missile near a British plane that was patrolling over the Black Sea, in international airspace, on 29th September.
Wallace told the House of Commons that the Russians had attributed the incident to a “technical malfunction”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using energy and hunger as weapons but he added that he has failed to break the West’s unity and will not achieve his war aims through scorched earth tactics.
Scholz told the German Parliament: “We will not let Moscow’s latest escalation go unanswered. Scorched earth tactics will not help Russia win the war. They will only strengthen the unity and resolve of Ukraine and its partners.”
NATO‘s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the members will take action if Sweden or Finland come under pressure from Russia or another adversary before they have fully joined the alliance.
