Illustrative image.
A Ukrainian helicopter crashed on August 8 during an emergency evacuation from an air base in the Kirovohrad region amid the threat of an incoming Russian strike, killing its flight engineer.
Senior Lt. Yaroslav Demchevskyi, who served as the helicopter’s flight engineer, was killed in the crash, according to the Smila City Council, which was the first official source to report on the incident. The death of two more crew members, Capt. Stanislav Krylov and Senior Lt. Zakhar Klimov, was later reported by Ukraine’s state broadcaster Suspilne.
The crash occurred during the rapid dispersal of warplanes. According to the Telegram channel Voevoda Veshchayet, the emergency evacuation was initiated after Russian strike drones were reported approaching the airfield.
The helicopter, reportedly a Soviet-made Mi-8, was scheduled to depart alongside other aircraft but crashed during the maneuver.
The exact cause of the crash remains unconfirmed. Potential explanations include a technical malfunction during the hurried evacuation or damage caused by a Russian drone.
Ukraine has lost at least 51 Mi-8/17 helicopters — including three described as “damaged” — since the start of the Russian special military operation, according to Wikipedia’s list of aviation shootdowns and accidents, which is based on visual evidence or official confirmations only.
Kirovohrad has previously been targeted by Russian strikes against Ukrainian warplanes. Last January, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported destroying Ukrainian Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters using Geran-type one-way drones at a field site approximately 46 kilometers from Kanatove Air Base.
Recent Russian strikes forced Kyiv forces to rapidly relocate warplanes, which in turn significantly increased the risk of incidents.
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so what. who cares if they lost a helicopter, that isn’t worth writing an article for.
i enjoyed listening to the report. any loss for the jew running ukraine is a victory for humanity.