This astonishing footage purports to show the Ukrainian military scoring a direct hit on a Russian helicopter in mid-air.
The helicopter is seen plummeting to the ground and exploding in a ball of fire and thick, black smoke in a field.
Zenger News obtained the footage from Operational Command (OC) North – a command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in northern Ukraine – on Saturday, June 4.
OC North said (in Ukrainian): “Another enemy helicopter has found its last stop in the Donbas!
“Believe in our warriors! Believe in the Armed Forces!
“Together to victory!”
The strike was reportedly carried out by the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade – a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
The brigade shared the clip a day later with the caption: “Fly, Muscovite!”
The struck helicopter was reportedly a Kamov Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ and its crew was killed instantly.
The twin-seat attack helicopter was reportedly hit by a surface-to-air missile from a man-portable air-defense system.
Serial production of the Kamov Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ began in 2008 and it entered service in 2011.
The 128th Mountain Assault Brigade was raised in 1922 and is the second oldest serving formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
It previously participated in World War II and the War in Donbas, which began in 2014.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported earlier today that Russia had lost about 31,250 personnel, 1,386 tanks, 3,400 armored fighting vehicles, 690 artillery pieces, 207 multiple launch rocket systems, 96 anti-aircraft systems, 211 warplanes, 176 helicopters, 551 tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, 125 cruise missiles, 13 warships, 2,395 other vehicles and fuel tankers, and 53 pieces of special equipment from February 24 to June 6.
The AFU General Staff reported that the Russian military suffered its greatest losses over the past day in the Sloviansk area.
In related news, the United Kingdom has announced that it is sending its first long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons to Kyiv.
Russian missiles struck Kyiv on Sunday, June 5 in the first assault on the Ukrainian capital in weeks.
Ukraine is claiming that it has retaken half of the key eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, where fighting has been focused recently.
And the Ukrainian Armed Forces said earlier on Monday, June 6 that Russian forces are continuing their push towards the city of Sloviansk, near Sievierodonetsk.
