Russia has said that its Ka-52 attack helicopters have wiped out a Ukrainian command post and armour in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
The footage appears to show a Russian combat helicopter being prepared for takeoff before it can be seen spinning up its rotors and taking to the skies.
It can then be seen flying low over countryside before unleashing a barrage of rockets.
The images then show it firing another two salvos before another combat helicopter apparently seen doing the same.
The images then cut to an explosion, apparently a Ukrainian target being hit, before the images show one of the combat helicopters landing back at base.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence on Friday, 24th November, along with a statement claiming: “Russian Aerospace Forces Ka-52 attack helicopters wipe out AFU command post and armoured hardware in Donetsk direction.”
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 639th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 24th November 2023, Russia had lost about 322,900 personnel, 5,496 tanks, 10,256 armoured combat vehicles, 7,833 artillery units, 904 multiple launch rocket systems, 595 air defence systems, 323 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,800 drones, 1,564 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,230 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,108 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russia is suffering massive losses near the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine as it throws “waves” of soldiers at the embattled area in the attempt to capture the strategically important territory, according to Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the US on Thanksgiving for its support saying that thanks to “American support and global leadership, millions of Ukrainian lives have been saved.”
Russia has claimed that it is being successful in selling nearly all of its oil above a western-imposed price of USD 60 per barrel.
Russia has sentenced a Ukrainian man to 18 years in prison for trying to blow up buildings in Melitopol, which is currently under Moscow’s control.
Dmitri Golubev said: “I am Ukrainian, I was defending Ukraine.”
Ukraine has said that it cannot produce enough electricity to meet demand for heating and is asking its neighbouring EU countries for assistance amid fears that Russia will target the country’s energy infrastructure.
Finland has said that it will close all of its border crossings with Russia apart from one in an effort to halt a flow of asylum seekers. Estonia has accused Moscow of mounting “a hybrid attack operation” on the eastern border of Europe.
The UK Ministry of Defence has said that a group of former Wagner mercenaries have been officially recognised as Russian military veterans, following speculation regarding how they would be treated following their meeting against Moscow and the death of their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
