The old Ukrainian helicopters attack the Russians from afar.
Written byTimes Magazine
Three Soviet attack helicopters fly over the treetops and dive into a field after a morning front-line operation against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
They can make three to four combat flights a day, explains the commander, whose two-seat Mi-24 helicopter was built around 40 years ago and is older than he is.
"We conduct combat tasks involving the destruction of enemy vehicles and personnel. We work on long-range attacks from the rear, where the enemy cannot reach us with their air defense system," said the commander. , which are used on condition of anonymity for reasons of operational security in accordance with military regulations.
The conflict in Ukraine is largely artillery warfare, with territory being fought over inch by inch under shell fire. But the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force play an important role in the fight, the pilot said.
"The importance of helicopters is enormous," said the commander of the 12th Ukrainian Army Aviation Brigade.
Footage from a camera attached to a helicopter during a recent combat mission shows him flying over fields dug up by artillery fire and firing rockets at the Russian trenches that dot the landscape.
“We shoot from a long distance and hit the target clearly, as if there was a cross on the target and (bullets) fly where they should,” said the commander.
However, he would like to fly a newer model.
"We have to master something new, something from abroad," said the commander."It has better properties. It has more maneuverability, more missiles and more powerful weapons. We can do more jobs with better quality and less risk for ourselves.”
Several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have committed or have since the beginning of the war sparked by the Russian invasion in February 2022 was already sent helicopters to Ukraine for military support.
Trending News
