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Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Mi-8 transport helicopter in the east of the country, Kiev’s military said, sharing dramatic footage showing the moment a US missile hit the helicopter.
Ukrainian armed forces “functionally destroyed” a Mi-8 helicopter near the city of Liman, in the eastern region of Donetsk, yesterday, the Ukrainian army announced on Telegram.
Liman is not far from the contact line. In a swift and successful northern counter-offensive by Kiev in the fall of 2022 (which was not announced), Ukrainian forces recaptured Liman from Russian troops, although the key rail hub suffered significant damage.
Ukrainian reconnaissance drones spotted the helicopter before the US HIMARS, a mobile artillery missile system, struck, Kiev said. Washington has delivered 39 HIMARS to Ukraine to date, according to the US Department of Defense. In the brief and blurry footage, a grounded helicopter can be seen with its rotor blades slowly turning in the middle of an otherwise seemingly deserted field. The footage then shows a vague fireball followed by the remains of what was likely a helicopter.
The Ukrainian General Staff added in an operational update early this morning that Ukrainian missiles had hit a Russian helicopter in the past 24 hours, although it did not specify the location of the impact or the type of helicopter. Kiev also destroyed a Russian anti-aircraft missile system, two artillery systems and an ammunition depot last day, the General Staff said.
The Mi-8 helicopter is used by several militaries around the world, including Russia and Ukraine, and is designed to transport troops to various locations on the battlefield. There are several variants, such as the Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopter, of which Russia is known to have lost quite a few during its operations in Ukraine.
