On Friday, May 20, the Ministry of Defense demonstrated the combat operation of multi-purpose attack helicopters Mi-28 and reconnaissance attack helicopters Ka-52 of the Army aviation of the Western Military District during a special military operation to protect Donbass.
After firing six unguided missiles at the enemy coordinates indicated by intelligence, the crews of the Mi-28 "Night Hunters" return to recharge. As a result of the next combat missions, control points and armored vehicles of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were destroyed. Crews work in shifts around the clock. Pilots joke — they spend more time in the sky than on the ground.
Arsenal of Mi weapons-28 — 30- millimeter rapid-fire cannon and missiles. "Night Hunters" rarely work alone. They are mainly part of combat groups together with the Ka-52 and Mi-8. Their task is not only to hit ground targets, but also to cover their colleagues.
In one sortie, the group manages to destroy entire chains of military infrastructure of the Ukrainian army. Some burn the ammunition depot, others disable armored vehicles that guard the approaches to it.
Anton, the commander of the Night Hunters flight, calls the Mi-28 the best helicopter in the world. Despite his young age, he is already an experienced military pilot. He had several business trips to Syria. A little more than a month Anton received the "Order of Courage".
According to him, the Mi-28 has a very good aerobatic navigation system. And together with the weapon control system, it allows you to use various types of weapons in automatic mode. Due to the frequent use of MANPADS by the enemy, it is necessary to use weapons from the maximum range, even sometimes out of visual visibility for pre-programmed targets.
"There was a flight at night in difficult weather conditions. The task was to destroy the accumulation of equipment on the road. They also went to the target area. The search, detection and identification of the target were carried out. Two enemy armored personnel carriers were identified. They used a guided missile, as well as unguided missiles of the S-8KOM type. The targets were successfully hit, in two passes, from different directions," Anton recalls.
Earlier, on May 18, Izvestia correspondent Kirill Olkov showed the destruction of enemy targets by a Russian multi-purpose Su-30 fighter during a military special operation to protect the population of Donbass.
On February 24, Russia launched an operation to protect civilians in the Donbas. Moscow explained that the tasks of the special operation include demilitarization and denazification, the implementation of which is necessary to ensure Russia's security. The decision was made against the background of aggravation in the region as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian military. The authorities of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics announced the evacuation of residents to the Russian Federation, and on February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR.
Watch more relevant videos and details about the situation in Donbass on the Izvestia TV channel