SWOOPING ACES
Watch incredible moment Ukrainian ‘flying tank’ Mi-24 helicopter gunship swoops just metres over trucks and cars
THIS is the incredible moment a fearsome Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter swooped just metres over trucks and cars.
The gunship, dubbed a "flying tank" thanks to its in-air abilities, flew alongside commuters in the extraordinary footage shared on Telegram.
5
5
The pilot of the low-flying chopper showed off his gliding skills as he hovered astonishingly close to the vehicles on the motorway.
But apart from keeping a safe distance, the motorists seemed relatively unfazed to spot one of Ukraine's most formidable airborne weapons alongside them.
The armed assault helicopter, believed to be part of the nation's fleet of Mi-24's, boasts built-in machine guns and turboshaft engines.
The Soviet-designed aircraft is an elite fighting force in the skies, often used in aerial combat and for air support.
READ MORE ON UKRAINE
It can carry pods crammed with unguided rockets, anti-tank missiles, guns and even bombs on its six hardpoints on stub wings.
And there is still enough room for a spacious passenger compartment to carry eight troops for air-assault operations.
Known in NATO circles by its codename "Hind", the chopper has proved a popular aircraft of choice for both Russia and Ukraine.
According to Flight Global, Ukraine had 34 operational Mi-24s prior to the invasion - which were quickly scrambled on the first day of the war.
Most read in The Sun
The Czech Republic donated some of its collection of the gunships to Ukraine in May as the invasion ramped up.
Footage from the frontline has demonstrated the destructive capabilities of the Hinds, as Volodymyr Zelensky's men unloaded a barrage of rockets.
They were reportedly used in a dramatic operation back in April which sparked a huge fireball at an oil storage facility in Belgorod, Russia.
Moscow accused Ukraine of managing to slip a pair of Mi-24 attack choppers across the border undetected before unleashing an air strike on the depot, causing a massive explosion as huge plumes of black smoke filled the air.
Putin claims his military have shot down a string of the helicopters throughout the war, although only one loss has been confirmed.
On the contrary, streams of footage has emerged of Russia's stash of Mi-24s taking a humiliating beating on the battlefield.
Video captured the moment one of the flying birds was blasted out of the sky over a Kyiv reservoir before plunging into the water.
Ukrainian forces are continuing to tighten the noose around Putin's troops as they make further gains in the east and south.
5
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed head of Kherson, said the west bank of the Dnipro River was being evacuated amid fears of a lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive on Wednesday.
The key port city of Kherson controls the only land route to the Crimea peninsula - which Russia seized in 2014 - and the mouth of the Dnipro river.
The city has been captured by the Russians since the beginning of the war in February.
But as Zelensky's men continue their lightning counteroffensive, they have been getting closer to the occupied Black Sea city and Russian troops have been driven back by up to 20 miles in the last few weeks.
Russian lines are said to be dramatically collapsing in Ukraine - with a former NATO commander claiming it could be Russia's biggest military disaster for 100 years.
In a fresh package of moves to counter battlefield defeats, Putin announced a new special coordinating council to work with Russia's regions to boost Moscow's war effort.
And he also declared martial law in four partially occupied regions of Ukraine that Russia claims as its own and restricted movement in and out of regions near Ukraine.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
As Putin grows increasingly desperate, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has dashed to Washington for crisis talks amid mounting concern that Mad Vlad’s finger is inching toward the nuke trigger.
The tyrant said last month that Moscow was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend its “territorial integrity”.
5
5
Topics