Russian social media channels have circulated images reportedly showing the aftermath of a U.S.-supplied HIMARS strike on Russian military helicopters stationed in the Belgorod region on March 24.
The footage, posted days after the attack, reveals visible damage to at least two helicopters — a Mi-28NM and a Mi-8AMTSh — operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces.
According to open-source imagery analysis, the Mi-8AMTSh transport and assault helicopter sustained the most severe damage. A missile appears to have detonated directly beneath its troop compartment, causing heavy structural impact. The Mi-28NM, an upgraded attack variant of the Soviet-era design, shows less visible external damage but reportedly suffered internal system degradation due to the strike.
The damage is believed to have been inflicted by the M30A2 variant of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), which carries a warhead filled with tungsten steel balls. These submunitions are optimized to penetrate lightly armored equipment and exposed systems — a match for helicopters parked in open-air revetments.
Наслідки удару по російських вертольотах 24 березня 2025 року pic.twitter.com/U7Wl15V3Pn
— MilitaryAviationInUa (@MilAviaUA) April 2, 2025
Initial reports misidentified the damaged Mi-28 as a Ka-52, another Russian attack helicopter that has suffered repeated combat losses in Ukraine. However, updated footage and visual confirmation have since clarified the aircraft types involved in the Belgorod incident.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued an official statement regarding the strike or acknowledged the damage. There are no confirmed reports of casualties.
The Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, has become a frequent target for cross-border strikes and sabotage activity throughout the war. While Russia has reinforced the area with additional air defense systems, the ability of Ukrainian forces to strike airfields and rear-area logistics hubs with HIMARS continues to challenge Russian force protection efforts.
As of now, there has been no independent verification of the operational status of the damaged helicopters. The extent of the damage suggests that at least one airframe may be beyond field repair.