Russia has said that its Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ attack helicopters fired missiles at Ukrainian military positions.
The footage appears to show one of the Russian aircraft being loaded with ordnance before soldiers can be seen climbing aboard what appears to be an Mi-8 combat transport helicopter.
The combat aircraft and then be seen taking to the skies and flying low over countryside opening fire on unseen targets.
The footage then purports to show them coming in to land back at base.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday, 3rd July, along with a statement claiming: “The crews of the Ka-52 carried out missile launches at strong points and armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Russian MoD added: “The crews of Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ reconnaissance and attack helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces continue to disrupt the rotation of units of the armed forces of Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
“During the next sortie, the pilots launched missiles at the discovered fortified strongholds and armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“‘Alligators’ work in close proximity to the line of contact, accompanied by fire support teams on Mi-8 combat transport helicopters.
“The crews are constantly manoeuvring at ultra-low altitudes, using terrain folds in order to get away from enemy air defence systems.
“When returning from a combat mission to home airfields, the engineering and technical staff replenishes ammunition, charges heat traps and refuels combat vehicles as soon as possible.”
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 495th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 3rd July 2023, Russia had lost about 230,260 personnel, 4,057 tanks, 7,899 armoured combat vehicles, 4,220 artillery units, 641 multiple launch rocket systems, 391 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 309 helicopters, 3,573 drones, 1,264 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,834 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 590 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Energy companies TotalEnergies and Shell have defended their activities in Russia after a report emerged criticising their involvement in the natural gas trade despite the war in Ukraine.
The Global Witness report said that TotalEnergies and Shell were the third and fourth largest operators in the Russian liquefied natural gas industry last year, behind two Russian companies.
Both companies said on Sunday that they were tied to ongoing agreements despite pulling out of Russian partnerships after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
Ukraine has said that Russian forces are making advances in four areas on the eastern front, with Kyiv reporting that its forces are capturing territory in the south.
The Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, said on Sunday: “Fierce fighting is going on everywhere”.
Dmitry Kiselev, one of Russia’s main propagandists, said on his weekly television show on Sunday that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had gone “off the rails” because of “big money”.
Poland’s Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski has said that his country will send 500 police officers to its border with Belarus.
The move follows an announcement by Warsaw that it was typing and security as a result of concerns regarding the Wagner group’s presence in Belarus.
Award-winning writer and war crimes researcher Victoria Amelina, 37, has died after being injured in the Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk last Tuesday that destroyed a pizza restaurant in the eastern Ukrainian city.
The attack killed 12 other people, including four children, and wounded dozens of others.
