I would not put much truth in what the Wagner Group announces, they also claimed that things were ugly in Ukraine and that only mobilization could change that, saying that Putin would declare war on Ukraine on May 9, which evidently did not happen. .
They're saying it was a Mi-8AMTSh destroyed on Cobra Island. The helicopter was assigned to the 487th Helicopter Regiment.
To begin with, this regiment was dissolved.
"28 августа 2009 года во исполнение Директивы МО РФ от 19 января 2009 г., 487-й отдельный вертолётный полк (боевой и управления) (487-й ОВП (биУ)) расформирован и вошел в состав сформированной 6971-й авиационной базы (1 -го разряда). Часть получила наименование «Войсковая часть 12910». Затем, на основании Директивы МО РФ от 18 июля 2010 г., 1 декабря 2011 года на аэродроме Будённовск сформирована 387-я авиационная база (армейской авиации) 2-го разряда « Войсковая часть 44936»."
Also, the Mi-8AMTSh version always has armament carriers, these armament carriers are always present on Russia's Mi-8 MTV5\AMTSh and are quite large.
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I really want whoever of those who claim it's a Russian helicopter to be able to convincingly explain these tethers that cast doubt on whether the heli was Russian, because I don't see evidence for that, and that includes the initial doubts of the first comment.
You brought news about the attack, I will do the same.
Kiev media reported the death of Lieutenant Colonel Igor Bedzai of the AFU's 10th Naval Aviation Brigade.
Do you know which one of the vectors this unit uses?
The unit uses several modifications of the Mi-8.
Presumably, Bedzai was aboard one of the downed helicopters that Russia claimed to have destroyed.
How do you explain this?
Don't jump to conclusions.
It is unclear from whom and when, but there was an attempt to land troops which was completely quashed. The footage appears to be from a TB2, but evidence of these claims is still lacking.
The Ukrainians are clearly trying to clear a path for the landing on Cobras Island.
It is worth remembering that the Russians claimed before this video was released that they shot down a Ukrainian helicopter that was trying to land troops on the island. The Russian briefing disclosed that the Russians set a trap, retreating troops on the island and when the Ukrainians advanced with 1 Mig-29, 1 SU-27, two Mi-8s carrying special forces and three boats with troops, they were attacked and destroyed.
This could mean that there were no Russian troops on the island when the attack with the Ukrainian fighter jets took place as well as the landing in the later event. According to Russian sources, Cobra Island was evacuated after its air defenses (Tor) were disabled by Ukrainian drones. Then the Ukrainians bombed the empty complex to get a good picture and tried to land some troops using helicopters. Then the VKS came in and destroyed the Mi-8s and a corvette. They claim that this video is actually the destruction of one of these Mi-8s. Also, the explosion is too big for a TB2 MAM-L.
In the video it clearly shows +5 soldiers protecting the landing zone, if the Russians were in possession of the island, why do that?
I've been studying footage of the Mi-8 from Cobra Island that was destroyed. The Ukrainian source points out that it was Russian, but this is very unlikely.
Bayraktar didn't seem to be in 'fire mode'. I compared other footage of Bayraktars hitting targets and every time there was a square or a target indication box. None were visible with the helicopter attack on Cobras Island. Second, the helicopter landed in the southwestern part of the island, heading towards mainland Ukraine. A Russian landing would have landed in the northeast part of the island. Thirdly, the Russians claimed they destroyed several Mi-8's shortly before this footage appeared, but I also can't figure out why the Russians would land soldiers and try to protect an island they already owned. And many other arguments.
