Russia has said that its helicopter gunships have hit Ukrainian military positions with missiles.
The footage reportedly shows a number of Russian helicopters taking off from an undisclosed location before they are seen firing their ordnance while flying low over countryside.
One of the Russian helicopters is then seen landing as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday, 14th December, along with a statement claiming: “An army aviation strike group destroyed manpower and an enemy stronghold in the Krasnolemansky direction.”
The Russian MoD added: “A strike group of army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed manpower and an enemy stronghold in the zone of the special military operation in the Krasnolemansky direction. The strike was carried out by unguided S-8 aircraft missiles from the closest possible distance.
“The strike group included the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter, the Mi-35M transport and combat helicopter and the multi-purpose Mi-8, accompanied by specialists from the search and rescue group and the fire support group.”
The statement quotes a Ka-52 navigator with the call sign ‘Psycho’ as saying: “We just arrived from a combat sortie and operated at an extremely low altitude. According to the UAV and the aircraft gunner, the target was hit, the task was completed.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 659th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 14th December 2023, Russia had lost about 342,800 personnel, 5,692 tanks, 10,616 armoured combat vehicles, 8,088 artillery units, 920 multiple launch rocket systems, 605 air defence systems, 324 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 6,206 drones, 1,606 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,675 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,185 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russia launched a large-scale attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Wednesday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met his counterpart US President Joe Biden in Washington DC.
Ukraine shot down all 10 of the Russian missiles that had targeted the capital, with at least 53 people reported injured.
EU leaders are meeting today, Thursday, for inside to discuss beginning talks on Ukraine’s membership bid to join the European Union, with Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban still threatening to block it.
Orban is also threatening to block EUR 50 billion of financial aid for Ukraine.
The head of the summit, Zelensky said of his encounter with Orban in Argentina on Sunday: “I was very direct … He has no reasons to block Ukrainian membership in the EU. I asked him to tell me one reason … I’m [still] waiting for an answer.”
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, said that Ukraine has “much to offer” the EU, saying: “Values-wise and ideologically, Ukraine is an indisputable part of Europe – which is precisely why Russia attacked us … Without Ukraine, the ‘Europe’ puzzle cannot come together.”
Arriving in Brussels for the summit, Donald Tusk, Poland’s new Prime Minister, said “apathy on Ukraine” was “unacceptable”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual end-of-year press conference today, adding: “On December 14, Vladimir Putin will sum up the results of the year. It will be a combined format of the direct line and the president’s final press conference.”
