Russian Mi-8 helicopter lands on Ukraine's airbase

Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov reported the information.

According to him, this information is confirmed by Censor.Net's sources in the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 

The journalist added that the helicopter is completely intact and will join the Ukrainian Armed Forces after a detailed examination.

"The helicopter flies at a low altitude, at low speed, and the crew can see all ground landmarks well, a mistake of 300 km is simply impossible, especially considering the significant fuel consumption involved. Such an incident cannot be an accident. Obviously, this is the first ever deliberate surrender of a Russian combat helicopter! This is a huge deal that demoralizes Putin's military aviation elite," Butusov emphasized.

Later, Ukrainska Pravda's intelligence sources said that the Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Armed Forces had recently ended up in Ukraine as a result of a long-running special operation by Ukrainian intelligence.

"It was a special operation of the GUR that lasted more than 6 months. Ukrainian intelligence lured the Mi-8 pilot to Ukraine. The plane was flying between two air bases and transporting parts for Su-27 and Su-30 SM fighter jets," the statement reads.

The report also indicated that the helicopter carried two additional crew members who were unaware of the helicopter's actual destination. As a result of the operation, both of these crew members died. The pilot, along with his family, is currently in Ukraine. The family had been evacuated from Russia beforehand.

The Mi-8 landed in the Kharkiv region and remained in Ukraine. According to Ukrainska Pravda, the Russian helicopter is now in Kyiv.

GUR’s response

During the telethon, GUR representative Andriy Yusov commented on reports that a Russian Mi-8 combat helicopter with the entire crew had arrived in Ukraine and surrendered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to him, such preliminary information exists.

"There will be official information. We need a little time, we are working on it, the crew is also invalved. Everything is fine, there will be news," he said.

• In May, a Russian Mi-8 attack helicopter was damaged in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The incident occurred at the Kacha airfield near Sevastopol.