30-8-2023 (MOSCOW) A tragic incident unfolded in central Russia as an Mi-8 helicopter, belonging to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), crashed in the vicinity of the village of Prudny in the Chelyabinsk region. This unfortunate crash claimed the lives of three individuals.
Local authorities, confirming earlier reports from Russian television network REN TV and the Russian Telegram channel Baza, which has connections to Russia’s security services, shared details of the accident on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the emergency services, speaking to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti, disclosed that the helicopter had crashed “during a planned flight,” resulting in the tragic loss of three crew members.
Alexey Teksler, the governor of the Chelyabinsk region, also confirmed the loss of three lives in the incident. However, initial reports from Russian Telegram channels had suggested that four individuals on board the helicopter had perished. Teksler reassured the public, stating, “Residents, residential buildings were not affected. Special services are working at the scene,” via Telegram.
The Baza channel released a video that purportedly captured the helicopter’s crash. According to the channel, an eyewitness claimed that there were four people on board, and preliminary information indicated that all of them had tragically lost their lives.
Newsweek has sought to independently verify the authenticity of the video and has reached out to Russia’s defense ministry via email for comments.
This incident comes shortly after Ukraine reported luring a Russian pilot, commanding an assault transport Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter, to land in Ukrainian territory, subsequently confiscating the aircraft.
The Mi-8 AMTSh is an armored assault version of the Mi-8AMT helicopter, primarily designed for troop and cargo transport. It is equipped with ground-attack weaponry and can operate in nocturnal and adverse weather conditions. Major General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (GUR), described the operation as the first of its kind to succeed in Ukraine’s history, as the helicopter now resides in Kyiv.
In late July, another Mi-8 helicopter reportedly crashed in Altai, a Russian Republic in southern Siberia. Authorities attributed the crash to electrical wires preventing a safe landing, resulting in four fatalities and ten injuries, according to Russia’s ministry of emergency situations.
Publicly available data indicates a significant loss of helicopters by Russia since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine over 18 months ago. The Dutch open-source outlet Oryx reported that since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Russia has lost a total of at least 103 helicopters, with 89 destroyed, 12 damaged, and two captured.
In contrast, Ukraine’s General Staff, in figures released on Tuesday, stated that the total number of Russian helicopters destroyed since the war’s commencement stands at 316. Independent sources tend to report more conservative numbers compared to Kyiv’s figures, while Russia does not disclose its military losses.
⚡ Mi-8 helicopter crashed in Chelyabinsk region in Russia
Previously, all 4 people who were on board died#Chelyabinsk #Russia #Mi8 #Russian #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar️ #RussiaUkraineWar pic.twitter.com/0TIulHjIQe
— Ukrainian Witness ???????? (@warinukraineua) August 29, 2023
