Russian Military Captured Several Ukrainian Helicopters At Kherson Airport (Photos)
The Russian military captured a number of helicopters which were left behind by Ukrainian forces in the early days of war.
On March 24, photos of the captured helicopter surfaced online. The photos show eight Mi-24 gunship helicopters, three of which painted in UN color scheme, as well as a Mi-8 and a Mi-2 transport helicopters. Most of the helicopters didn’t appear to be in operational condition. However, none of them was damaged.
Prior to the war, the aviation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces reportedly had 34 Mi-24, 48 Mi-8 and 17 Mi-2 helicopters. Many of these helicopters were out of service.
Abandoned Ukraine AF helicopters in Kherson Airport. pic.twitter.com/aCjy0My5FD
— Aldin (@aldin_ww) March 24, 2022
The Russian military captured Kherson Airport in the very first days of its special operation in Ukraine. Kyiv government forces withdraw from most of Kherson Oblast without showing any real resistance.
On March 15, Kyiv forces shelled Kherson Airport. Most of the helicopters destroyed in the attack were apparently abandoned, dismantled Ukrainian ones.
The Russian military may fix the captured helicopters then hand them over to the armed forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, as it did with other captured Ukrainian weapons.
The aviation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces and the Ukrainian Air Force have sustained heavy losses since the start of the Russian special military operation. According to the most recent briefing by the Ministry of Defense of Russia, 255 unmanned and 158 manned Ukrainian aircraft have been destroyed, so far.
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