The attack is said to have been carried out using U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers.
Key targets: Ka-52 and Mi-8 helicopters
According to a statement on the SSO’s Telegram channel, two Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopters and two Mi-8 transport helicopters were hit “behind enemy lines, where the adversary had set up a jump site” for rapid deployment. While the strike is believed to have occurred several days ago, Ukrainian officials only released the details now.
“These aircraft were stationed in an area from which the enemy believed they were unreachable,” the SSO wrote. “Yet again, we proved that, for Special Operations Forces, nothing is impossible.” The operation also involved the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) and Ukrainian missile forces and artillery.
The Ka-52 is a high-performance attack helicopter widely used by Russia for ground-support missions, while the Mi-8 provides logistical and transport capabilities.
Belgorod, bordering Ukraine’s Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions, frequently serves as a launch point for Russian attacks. By striking this forward base, Ukrainian forces disrupted what they describe as a hidden staging area for surprise assaults on Ukrainian positions.
In recent weeks, Kyiv has stepped up long-range strikes on critical Russian assets behind the front line. Just last week, Ukraine’s HUR claimed responsibility for a coordinated operation in Russian-occupied Crimea, targeting air defenses and at least one Mi-8 helicopter.
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Source: PAP