A Russian military helicopter has crashed near the border with Ukraine, killing two people

The accident took place in Bryansk, 65 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. According to the Russian regional governor, one woman was hospitalized and “five houses were damaged”.

At least one Russian military Mi-8 helicopter crashed in an area near the border with Ukraine on Saturday, killing two people on board, emergency services announced, though the cause was not clearly established at this time.

“Mi-8 helicopter crashes, two people killed,” Russian rescuers were quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

“The helicopter crashed in the city of Klintsi due to an engine fire, according to preliminary data,” another source told TASS.

The accident took place in the town of Klintsy in the Bryansk region, 65 km from the Ukrainian border.

There is no comment from the Ministry of Defense at this stage

A woman was hospitalized and “five houses were damaged,” according to regional governor Alexandre Bogomas, without giving further details.

However, according to Vladimir Rokov, the Russian occupation official in Ukraine, it was actually a total of “two Russian Mi-8s, one Su-35 and one Su-34” that were “shot down” and “the pilots of the helicopters and the Su-34 were killed”.

However, these claims have not been denied or confirmed by competent authorities – including the Russian Ministry of Defense, which has not commented on the incidents at this stage.

The authenticity of videos circulating on social media showing the helicopter catching fire in the air after being hit by a projectile was not independently confirmed by the AFP.

Area already under attack

On the Ukrainian side, Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk welcomed the fact that “Russians are very unhappy today.” “We can understand them: two hunters and two helicopters short,” he added without further ado.

“Justice (…) and Karma”, announced on Twitter for his part, Mykhaïlo Podoliak, adviser to the Ukrainian president, confirmed that four Russian machines will attack “citizens of Chernuigiv region” in the north. Ukraine.

The region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, was the target of a Ukrainian bombing in late April that killed four people and the area has recently been the target of drone strikes and rail sabotage.