Ukrainian particular operations forces (SSO) say they destroyed two Ka-52 Hokum assault helicopters and two Mi-8 Hip delivery helicopters in an assault in the back of the strains in Russia’s Belgorod area. The helicopters had been struck, consistent with SSO, by way of M130A2 Guided A couple of Release Rocket Machine Selection Warheads (GMLRS-AW), every containing a 200-pound warhead with 180,000 tungsten fragments.
SSO noticed the helicopters at a ahead arming and refueling level that was once used “for fast motion of plane or for wonder assaults at the Safety and Protection Forces of Ukraine,” the SSO claimed. That’s once they referred to as within the strike the usage of the GMLRS-AW guided rockets.
“The enemy as soon as once more concept that deep within the rear he was once impossible,” SSO claimed. “We as soon as once more proved that for the SSO there’s not anything impossible.”
A video launched by way of SSO presentations the 4 helicopters and the explosions at the floor from the guided rockets. Whilst one body presentations what seems to be an instantaneous hit, the huge collection of fragments the warheads comprise would most likely shred a helicopter even though touchdown in shut proximity to the objective.
SOF, along side the army intelligence and Rocket Forces and Artillery, struck and destroyed 4 russian helicopters – two Kamov Ka-52 and two Mil Mi-8 – in the back of enemy strains at russia’s hidden place for fast redeployment or assaults in opposition to Ukraine. %.twitter.com/57swOQxZnc— SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES OF UKRAINE (@SOF_UKR) March 24, 2025
GMLRS are ground-to-ground guided munitions fired by way of U.S.-made Military Prime Mobility Rocket Machine (HIMARS) and M270 MLRS. Ukraine has used them to devasting impact on Russian troop and kit concentrations, hardened defensive places, bridges, radars and different objectives. The U.S. equipped two GMLRS variants to Ukraine. The GMLRS Selection Warhead (AW) was once advanced as a cluster munition choice to interact space or imprecisely positioned objectives. GMLRS Unitary Warhead makes use of a 200-pound high-explosive warhead to interact level objectives with restricted collateral injury. Each have a spread of about 50 miles.
The destruction of those helicopters marks the largest recognized unmarried lack of Russian rotary wing aviation in a floor strike since October 2023. That’s when Ukraine used its U.S.-supplied Military Tactical Missile Machine (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missiles for the primary time, putting an airport within the Russian-occupied town of Berdyansk.
The Hokums have introduced an impressive anti-armor risk to Ukraine, taking part in crucial position in preventing its failed counteroffensive in the summertime of 2023 and once more within the Kursk area. Screencaps taken from a video of Ka-52 assaults on Ukrainian armor are visual underneath.
Stills from a brand new video printed by way of the Russian MoD appearing a Ka-52 doing away with a shifting armored car with a 9-A-4172K Vikhr-1 ATGM.
The primary nonetheless (HUD video) presentations:
-Slant fluctuate to the objective: ~8 km.
-Estimated time to affect: ~23 sec. %.twitter.com/YjD3qlgAu9— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) June 15, 2023
Then again, the Ka-52s were a chief goal of Ukrainian air defenses, long-range missile and drone moves, and sabotage raids. Of the 120 Russia had earlier than the full-on struggle, no less than 51 were destroyed, 12 broken and one captured, consistent with the Oryx open-source monitoring team. That determine might be upper as a result of Oryx simplest tabulates losses for which it has visible affirmation. You’ll see a type of sabotage assaults within the following video.
#Russia: A video surfaced allegedly appearing the planting of explosive fees on a Russian Ka-52 helicopter by way of a saboteur on Veretye Air Base, Pskov Oblast – consistent with Russian media two helicopters there have been broken because of unknown explosions at thirtieth October. %.twitter.com/Ks85KxgVNu— Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) October 31, 2022
The Mi-8s have additionally been often focused by way of Ukraine. Of the more or less 300 that Russia had, no less than 29 had been destroyed and 10 broken, Oryx famous. There was once even one notable case of a Russian pilot defecting to Ukraine together with his Hip, which you’ll learn extra about right here.
Whilst the SSO didn’t give a selected location of the place the helicopters had been struck, the assault got here amid conflicting reviews at the standing of a Ukrainian floor incursion into Belgorod that started on March 18.
The Russian Protection Ministry (MoD) mentioned its forces had been attacking Ukrainian troops in that area.
“Within the Belgorod course, devices of the Sever Workforce of Forces inflicted hearth injury on manpower and {hardware} of 4 mechanized brigades, an attack regiment of the [Ukrainian Armed Forces], and 3 territorial protection brigades as regards to Miropolye, Ugroyedy, Turya, and Krasnopolye (within the Sumy area),” the MoD claimed on Telegram.
The border villages of Demidovka, Krasnoyarsk district are “briefly occupied by way of Ukraine,” consistent with the Russian Romanov Mild Telegram channel.
Russian Z-channels stay confirming the seize of Demidivka in Belgorod Oblast by way of Ukrainian forces, and now whining that their troops simply up and left, letting Ukrainian combatants advance. %.twitter.com/4AgNT94wEc— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) March 23, 2025
In the meantime, some other Russian Telegram channel introduced a special take.
“The village of Demidovka is underneath the keep an eye on of the Russian Armed Forces!,” the Ashes Telegram channel claimed. “Ukrainian army failed to go into the territory of Belgorod Oblast. The Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to damage via to our territory, however had been thrown again to Sumy Oblast.”
There are combined reviews concerning the standing of preventing in Russia’s Belgorod area. Google Earth
The most recent replace from the Ukrainian Armed Forces Common Personnel makes no point out of an operation in Belgorod. Then again, a retired high-ranking Ukrainian officer informed The Conflict Zone that his country’s troops have penetrated so far as 12 kilometers (about 7.5 miles) into Belgorod at some places. The Belgorod incursion has an identical targets to at least one Ukraine introduced in Russia’s Kursk area remaining August, particularly growing buffer area alongside the border and drawing Russian troops clear of japanese Ukraine, the retired officer defined.
Hitting assault and delivery helicopters at the floor is the easiest way to shield in opposition to the functions they bring about to undergo.
The assault “reduces the Russian operational pace in accordance with decreased skill in shut air improve, logistics improve and medevac,” mentioned the retired Ukrainian officer. “It additionally reduces the extent of troop reinforcement in a contingency scenario.”
Although Ukraine advanced the intelligence concerning the location of the Russian helicopters by itself, it must be famous that the usage of the GMLRS-AW on this example got here after Ukraine needed to curtail the employment of those munitions and different variants previous this month when the U.S. briefly stopped offering intelligence information for correct moves. The U.S. resumed that waft of knowledge after Ukraine agreed in theory to a 30-day ceasefire remaining week.
Touch the writer: howard@thewarzone.com
