Moment Russian helicopter explodes 'after being struck by British-made missile'

27 July 2023 , 07:44

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Moment Russian helicopter explodes 'after being struck by British-made missile'

The moment a British-made Starstreak missile destroyed a Russian helicopter flying over Ukraine has been caught on camera. Footage shows the helicopter blades still spinning for a few seconds after the rocket rips through the body of the aircraft causing a thick plume of smoke before it falls through the sky.

It has been reported that an unnamed senior Russian commander was killed in the attack after his Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was hit by a Stormer Starstreak missile on Tuesday.

Crimea-based troops were also reportedly hit by British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles yesterday. The attack on the helicopter was by Kyiv’s 38th marine brigade whilst fighting in Donetsk and is believed to have happened in the past few days.

The attack on the helicopter was by Kyiv’s 38th marine brigade whilst fighting in Donetsk

Footage shows the helicopter blades still spinning for a few seconds after the rocket rips through the body of the aircraft

Pro-war Russian blogger Kirill Fyodorov said: “We have lost heroes. As a result of the strike at one moment by three British SAM Stormer missiles, a Ka-52 was shot down." News outlet Voevoda said the commander had “very large shoulder straps” but did not name him.

The 38th Separate Marine Brigade wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday: "Today at 7:43 an enemy Ka-52 was destroyed by our brigade's MANPADS system. Glory to the Marines of Ukraine!" An image they uploaded also purportedly showed the wreckage on the ground in frontline eastern Donbas.

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Storm Shadows are a form of air-launched, precision cruise missile developed jointly by Britain and France to travel at low altitudes to avoid detection. An unspecified number were sent by Britain to Ukraine in May, partly in response to Iran providing the Kremlin's forces with long-range Shahed drones.

The Starstreak is Britain's most advanced anti-aircraft missile which uses three dart-like projectiles to allow multiple hits on target while travelling at more than three times the speed of sound.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that while Ukraine has recaptured half the territory that Russia initially seized in its invasion, the counter-offensive was in its early days and would take shape over '"several months."

Rachel Hagan