Ukraine has destroyed three Russian helicopters in just half an hour, itsair force has claimed.
Last night three Ka-52 choppers became the latest casualties of VladimirPutin’s botched invasion, with an estimated 281 of the Kremlin’shelicopters downed since the outbreak of war 11 months ago.
The £12million single-seat aircraft is nicknamed the Black Shark and hasbeen described as Russia’s ‘deadliest helicopter’.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian spy chief has warned that if Russia’s new offensivefails, it could be the ‘ruin’ of president Putin.
The Ka-52’s battlefield management system allows it to share data withother aircraft to coordinate attacks.
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The air force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: “For half an hour ofanti-aircraft combat from 00:00 to 00:30 on January 24, units of theanti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force of the Armed Forces ofUkraine destroyed three Russian Ka-52 attack helicopters in the easterndirection.”
Kyiv is anticipating an imminent three-pronged attack from the north inBelarus, from Russian strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, andin the south from the Crimean peninsula.
If successful, Moscow’s troops would encircle defending forces in thepincer movement which would drive back Ukraine after a series of advancesin recent months
