Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian Mil Mi-8 helicopter, and there is purported video evidence of the incident.
According to Ukrainian General Colonel Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, soldiers from the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter in the Luhansk region. A corresponding video is circulating on the microblogging service X, formerly known as Twitter. In the video, there is something burning, followed by minor explosions and dark smoke rising into the sky.
The Mil Mi-8 is a multipurpose and transport helicopter developed and manufactured in the Soviet Union, and it is also known as the “Hip” in NATO terminology.
These claims have not been independently verified and/or confirmed, and therefore, they should be regarded with caution. In times of war, conflicting parties may find it advantageous to deliberately spread misinformation to strengthen their own position or weaken that of the opponent.
Image: Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Visit to joint staff of military branches involved in special military operation 04, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
