MOSCOW: A helicopter crashed on Saturday in the Bryansk region of southern Russia near the border with Ukraine, according to local authorities.
Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of Bryansk, confirmed the incident in a brief statement on the messaging app Telegram, mentioning that a helicopter had crashed in the town of Klintsy.
While the fate of the crew remains unknown, he mentioned that a woman sustained injuries and was hospitalized.
Five houses were also reported to have been damaged in the crash, but no specific details were provided about the cause of the accident.
However, a conflicting statement came from Vladimir Rogov, an official appointed by Moscow in the Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine.
Rogov stated that four Russian aircraft had been shot down, including two MI-8 helicopters, an SU-35 fighter jet, and an SU-34 fighter bomber.
He further mentioned that the crew members of the helicopters and the SU-34 had lost their lives. No additional information was provided regarding the circumstances of the shootdown.
Videos of Russian aircraft crash in Ukraine
Several videos depicting Russian aircraft crashing in the Bryansk region have been circulating on Russian social media platforms. One video appears to show a helicopter being hit and catching fire. The Russian defense ministry has not issued an immediate comment on the incident.
The news of the crashes has stirred emotions in Russia, with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk acknowledging the Russian reaction on social media, stating, “Russians are very upset today. We can understand them: minus two fighter jets and minus two helicopters.”
In recent times, Western allies have been supplying increasingly powerful weaponry to Ukraine. This week, Britain announced its intention to send Storm Shadow missiles, making it the first country to provide longer-range arms to Kyiv.
