Ukrainian military boast of shooting ‘four Russian helicopters down in 18 minutes’

Ukrainian forces boasted of a “productive morning” on Wednesday claiming they shot down four Russian helicopters in under 18 minutes in another blow to Vladimir Putin’s war effort.

The aircraft, believed to be Soviet-era KA-52 helicopters, were brought down by anti-aircraft missile units in Southern Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have been making gains into territory illegally occupied by Russian forces.

The Official page of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine tweeted: “Productive morning, Ukrainian style.

“Today, in just 18 minutes, service members of #UAarmy shot down 4 russian helicopters that were spoiling beautiful autumn skies in the south of Ukraine. No place for Alligators here. The local climate is hostile towards them.”

As a bitter winter approaches, Ukrainian troops were said to be better equipped than many Russian soldiers, including with night sights, better radios and warm gear.

Britain has previously estimated that up to 80,000 Russian troops have been killed, maimed, injured, deserted or gone missing since Mr Putin launched his invasion on February 24, with Ukrainian forces having suffered heavy losses, and thousands, if not tens of thousands, of civilians also killed.

It came as Western officials believe Russia will be thoroughly defeated in a United Nations vote condemning the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, Western officials believe.

British diplomats are working to shore up support among the 193-nation general assembly for the motion that condemns the “attempted illegal annexation” of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia through sham referendums.

But added that the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin were “sounding and looking weaker and weaker and more isolated” every day.

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