Russia Reports Loss of Ka-52 Attack Helicopter; Pilot Killed

Russian forces have lost another Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter used in the war against Ukraine.

The loss was reported in a post by the pro-war Russian Voevoda Veshchayet Telegram channel.

The channel published a photo of the helicopter at around 1:00 p.m. Kyiv time, accompanied by the message:

“May the Kingdom of Heaven be yours, brother. There is a special garrison for pilots.”

His remarks indicate that the pilot was killed. At the same time, he makes no mention of the Ka-52’s other crew member – the navigator-operator, who is normally also on board during flights and combat missions.

The propagandist does not disclose what caused the helicopter’s loss, nor does he say exactly when or where it occurred.

Russian forces periodically use Ka-52 helicopters to intercept Ukrainian long-range kamikaze drones.

Russian forces make extensive use of this type of aircraft, and as a result, the Ka-52 has suffered significant losses. According to the Oryx tracking project, Russia has already lost more than 60 helicopters of this type.

For example, in March 2026, the Russians lost two Ka-52s in a single day. One of them was shot down in the Pokrovsk area by a Ukrainian FPV drone.

After being hit, the pilots were forced to land the helicopter. However, attack drones from the Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated the crew as they attempted to escape from the crashed helicopter.