Footage released on Friday by Russia shows the attack and crash landing of an Army Aviation Ka-18 helicopter on an airport in Ukraine.
In the video, recorded from the pilot's point of view, it is possible to see the use of 8mm S-80 rockets and the 2mm 42A30 side cannon against Ukrainian troops on the ground. At 40 seconds into the video, the pilot of the aircraft fires the flares and then begins the forced landing of the aircraft after being hit.
https://www.facebook.com/mod.mil.rus/videos/668314214420319/
The two crew then exit the helicopter armed with rifles and establish a defensive perimeter around the Ka-52.
As you can see in the full, un-edited video, around 25 seconds there is something highlighted in a red circle, after which there is the sound of an impact and the helicopter seems to lurch forwards. This is missing from the video shared by the MoD. pic.twitter.com/tQhtDyoVod
- Kyle Glen (@KyleJGlen) March 18, 2022
In the helicopter's Head Up Display it is possible to identify that 36 of the 40 rockets loaded on the helicopter were used. Four rockets still remain in the pods at the time of landing.
It is not known whether what forced the Ka-52 to land in the field was the impact of a man-portable anti-aircraft missile (MANPADS) or firearm ammunition. According to the Ministry of Defense, the aircraft "was targeted 18 times from the ground".
"The crew performed a precautionary landing and organized a perimeter defense, holding it until the second attack group arrived.”
The body did not say when and where the images were recorded, limiting itself to saying that the video shows an Army Aviation tactical landing operation at an airport in Ukraine.
According to the post, Ka-52 and Mi-24 helicopters managed to detect and destroy the positions of MANPADS, armored vehicles and air defense systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, without any losses on the Russian side.
According to information on the portal Oryx, which has independently documented Russian and Ukrainian vehicle losses, Moscow has already lost six Ka-52 Alligator during the invasion of the neighboring country. Four were destroyed and two were damaged and abandoned. In all, the Russians have already lost 1525 vehicles since the beginning of the war on 24/02.
