900 kilometers from Kiev
Ukraine: Three helicopters destroyed northwest of Moscow
10/31/2022, 8:08 PM
Since the start of the attack on Ukraine, Russia has lost more than a quarter of all its Ka-52 attack helicopters. An explosion now destroys two more and an MI-28N. The peculiarity of the incident is that it is taking place in northwestern Russia, hundreds of kilometers from Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian sources, three Russian attack helicopters were destroyed at an air base in the Pskov region in northwestern Russia. A strong explosion occurred at Weretje Airport on Monday night. The Ukrainian military intelligence service HUR announced in Telegram. Two Ka-52 Alligator helicopters and one Mi-28N helicopter were completely destroyed. According to Kiev, two other helicopters were badly damaged in the blast.
The Weretje air base, where the explosion is said to have occurred, is located in the Pskov region, about 500 kilometers northwest of the Russian capital Moscow. 150 kilometers to the west are the borders with EU and NATO member states Latvia and Estonia. The distance to the nearest border of Ukraine is at least 700 kilometers, to Kiev – 900 kilometers.
As a result of the explosion, the wreckage of the helicopters was scattered in a radius of 200 meters, the Ukrainian secret service wrote in a telegram. Also information about losses of weapons and personnel is being verified. Soldiers of the army unit stationed there were on the lookout for “groups of saboteurs,” the statement said. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the incident.
More than a quarter of all Ka-52s were lost
Russian media and Telegram channels reported three explosions at an airport in the Pskov region. However, reports suggest that only two helicopters have been damaged. These are temporarily “unusable” due to repairs. Russian officials have not yet commented on the explosion.
The Kamov Ka-52 Alligator (NATO code: Holm-B) is a Russian-made reconnaissance and attack helicopter. According to the Ukrainian secret service, the cost of such a helicopter is about 16 million US dollars (approximately 16.2 million euros). Russia has been at war since the invasion began in February, the British Ministry of Defense announced a few days ago, citing Secret Service findings. At least 23 helicopters of this type went missing. This is more than a quarter of the operational fleet of 90 Ka-52s.
The Mil Mi-28N is a modified, night-fighting and all-weather capable version of the Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter. HUR estimates the cost of the Mi-28N at 16 to 18 million US dollars (approximately 16.2 to 18.2 million euros).
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