Attack helicopter missiles to journalists. A help appeared on social networks, presumably describing the moment of the incident

Video: RBC

In the State Unitary Enterprise "Sevastopol Aviation Enterprise", which is engaged in the modernization of Ka-52 helicopters, RBK could not name the reasons for what happened. “The commission is investigating why unguided rockets went off because of the main switch,” Stanislav Tkachiboroda, chief engineer and technical director of the State Unitary Enterprise “Sevastopol Aviation Plant”, told RBC. “Until now, such cases have not been encountered in my practice,” Tkachiboroda noted.

Ka-52- Russian combat attack helicopter, designed to destroy enemy personnel and equipment on the battlefield. Equipped with the Samshit-E optoelectronic system, which allows you to select a target. "Samshit-E" consists of a thermal imager, a laser designator and a laser beam direction finder. The aircraft is also equipped with the Arbalet-52 radar, one of the channels of which is used to search for ground targets and allows the helicopter to maneuver at low altitudes at high speed. Depending on the received combat mission, the helicopter is supplied different types weapons on suspension points: six NURS blocks, cannon containers, R-73 and Igla-V missiles. The helicopter is armed with a 30-mm movable cannon. In total, the helicopter can take on board 2000 kg of various missiles and bombs.

A malfunction in the weapon control system caused the spontaneous firing of missiles, this version is considered a priority by the experts of the commission, a source familiar with the investigation told RBC. “They are studying the means of objective control: the parameters of the flight recorders, as well as the recording of the crew's conversations. Then test flights will be carried out, repeating the events of September 16, ”said the source. According to him, the version of a malfunction in the weapon control system arose after the pilots described their sequence of actions during the flight in explanatory notes.

“For the Ka-52, the main switch is the fuse for the entire armament circuit,” says first class test pilot Yuri Khudyakov. According to him, to fire a shot, the pilot uses the main switch, and then selects the type of weapon. “If the missiles came down immediately after the switch was used, then we are talking about a malfunction in the helicopter's weapon control system. Most likely, the cause of the incident was wandering currents: a random impulse that set off the missiles, ”Yuri Khudyakov is sure.

Based on the results of the check

Representatives of the military prosecutor's office are studying the circumstances of the incident, a source familiar with the investigation told RBC. If it is proved that the incident occurred as a result of a failure in the Ka-52's weapons system, then the perpetrators, most likely, will not be identified, the source said. "The conclusions of the special commission will be sent to the aviation enterprise engaged in armament of the Ka-52, along with a proposal to eliminate a technical malfunction," the source is sure. “The pilots made the third approach to the target, and before that the weapon was working properly, which means that an unpredictable failure occurred, therefore, there can be no question of any responsibility of the pilots,” a source familiar with the materials of the investigation believes.

A criminal case against officials in charge of the Zapad-2017 exercise will be opened if it can be proved that the incident occurred as a result of their negligence. This is said by the interlocutor of RBC, who is familiar with the materials of the check. Exercises "West-2017" are held in Russia and Belarus. The incident took place on the territory of the Western Military District. The commander of the troops of the district is Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov.

Video: Alexey Zemlyakov / YouTube

The accidental missile launch, presumably, occurred during the Zapad-2017 exercise

The joint strategic exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus "Zapad-2017", during which, presumably, the incident occurred, take place from September 14 to 20. On September 17, the press service reported that the helicopters of the Western Military District in the exercises demonstrated the tactics of destroying a highly mobile enemy from ambushes.

A source of "Lenta.ru" confirmed the accidental launch of Alligator missiles

Sources involved in organizing the Zapad-2017 exercises told Lente.ru that the incident did take place. On the evening of September 18, at the Luga artillery range, during the passage of two Ka-52 combat helicopters, one of them fired an unauthorized volley with two ATGMs. One of the shells hit the ground near a civilian parking lot. It is known about two victims, but the nature of their injuries is not specified. According to some reports, both received injuries and bruises during the fall, according to others, both had minor shrapnel wounds.

According to the source, the scene was immediately cordoned off by the military police, and some of the events for guests and journalists covering the maneuvers were canceled without explanation. In the morning, a conversation was held with the servicemen - the officers demanded that the incident be kept secret. However, immediately after her, the video of the incident hit the network.

At present, investigators from the Military Investigation Directorate are working at the training ground and in the aviation unit, the helicopter itself is sealed and is located at one of the sites. The arrival of a special commission is expected.

A help appeared on social networks, presumably describing the moment of the incident

“Circumstances of SAI. On September 16, 2017, a couple of Lieutenant Colonel Smakhtin A.V. (led by senior lieutenant Volchkov A.S.) took off from the air. Pushkin at 14:00, flight to the "Luga" training ground at Ex. 456 KBP AA-2012 "test flight of a pair to perform fire missions". At 14:47 Moscow time, after receiving permission from the RP of the landfill, when performing the third approach on the combat course, H = 50 m, V = 200 km / h, when the main switch was turned on, a spontaneous descent of the NAR C-8 com occurred. slave pair. The crew commander, senior lieutenant Volchkov A.S. reported the RP of the landfill, stopped the task, completed it on the air. Pushkin landing without consequences. On the ground, 3 people were slightly injured and 2 cars were damaged. "

Photo: page “Accidents and Emergencies | St. Petersburg "in" VKontakte "

The Ministry of Defense issued a refutation

The Ministry of Defense said that the personnel caught in the network had nothing to do with the Zapad-2017 exercises. "All messages in social networks about volleys at a crowd of journalists, a large number of seriously wounded - a deliberate provocation or someone's personal stupidity, "- quotes the representatives of the Western Military District (ZVO).

According to the military, the video recorded another case, when the crews of helicopters, as part of a tactical flight exercise, practiced the defeat of ground targets. “The targeting system of one of the helicopters made an erroneous target acquisition. As a result of being hit by an unguided missile, one of the trucks without people ", - commented on the incident in the West Military District. Where and when the unauthorized launch took place was not reported in the military department.

The Alligator incident near St. Petersburg is not the first one in recent years

On September 7, a tank ammunition exploded at a training ground in the Leningrad Region. One soldier was killed, five were injured. The incident occurred during a planned tank shooting. The projectile deviated from the trajectory when it touched the ground and exploded near the shelter of the military engineers. Medical assistance is provided to the victims. The ZVO commission is working at the scene of the incident.

A shocking video appeared on the network, which captured how combat helicopters Ka-52s mistakenly fired missiles at civilians and their vehicles at the Lugsky training ground near St. Petersburg. This incident struck the public with its cruelty and tragedy.

According to the site, two Ka-52 helicopters during the joint exercises with Belarus "West-2017" quietly flew to the target. However, at some point, according to the plan, the weapons chains were to be turned on without firing. At some point, there was a system failure and an unauthorized launch of air-to-ground missiles. At least two civilian vehicles exploded, two people were seriously injured and this moment are in the hospital, 66.ru reports. According to preliminary data, journalists who were on the territory were injured. Their identities are not reported. It is also unknown on what day this tragedy occurred. The video shows how the filmmaker after the explosion is trying to escape, but falls exhausted, probably from his injuries.

According to representatives of the armed forces, joint exercises with the specified helicopter took place on September 17 at the Luga training ground. According to the plan of the exercises, the helicopters practiced the tasks of armed reconnaissance, as well as the introduction of a missile strike against targets on the ground. The second task is called air cover for ground forces.

Anonymous sources report that the whole incident was a training session right before the president's visit. Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. It is not known how the president reacted to the incident. In addition, the Zapad-2017 exercises themselves caused a wide resonance in the political arena.

Many European countries called the exercise a direct simulation of an armed conflict with countries hostile to Russia. According to official data, 70 aircraft and helicopters will participate in the exercises until September 20.

Thus, the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite openly admitted that the teachings in one form or another imitate real conflict with the countries that are members of the NATO bloc, and between Russia and Belarus, one can trace "hidden scenarios" in political terms. According to Dali, this is expressed in the fact that the exercises themselves are aggressive towards other countries.

Due to failure military equipment two people ended up in the hospital. Most likely, the incident occurred shortly before Vladimir Putin's visit to the training ground. At the next stage of the Russian-Belarusian military exercises Zapad-2017, an emergency happened: an involuntary launch of air-to-ground missiles from a Ka-52 helicopter occurred at the Luga training ground near St. Petersburg.

“They flew to the target, there were 500 meters left, on an assignment to combat path weapons chains are switched on, they switched on, but there was a short circuit, and the missiles went off on their own. The fragments have a large spread, at least two cars burned down, two people were seriously injured, they are now in the hospital. It was a training session before some kind of show. Most likely, journalists were injured, ”an informed source told 66.RU.

The exact date when the incident occurred is unknown. “It happened yesterday or the day before yesterday,” said our interlocutor. It should be noted, according to the press service of the Western Military District, on September 17, “within the framework of the joint strategic exercise Zapad-2017 at the Luga training ground, the crews of the Mi-28N and Ka-52 attack helicopters of the Army Aviation of the Western Military District worked out air reconnaissance tasks, a missile strike against ground targets and air cover for a ground group of forces. "

Press service of the Western Military District:

- During the performance of aerial reconnaissance, the flight crew worked the most complex elements flight training - flights at extremely low altitudes with rounding the terrain. The pilots operated in pairs and flights, performing flights in the formation of "bearing" at established intervals and distances. The lead crew had to, upon detection of targets on the ground, distribute targets for each of the led crews for the most effective air strike. The pilots launched unguided missiles, and also used airborne cannon armament, destroying more than 20 targets imitating convoys of equipment, firing positions, fortifications and other objects of the conditional enemy.

The joint strategic exercise "West-2017" of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus takes place from 14 to 20 September. Yesterday, September 18, the Luga training ground was visited by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu.

Kremlin Press Service:

- Exercises "Zapad-2017" are held on September 14-20 at training grounds in Russia and Belarus with the involvement of about 12.7 thousand military personnel, about 70 aircraft and helicopters, up to 680 units of military equipment, including about 250 tanks, up to 200 guns, jet systems salvo fire and mortars, as well as 10 ships.

The Russian-Belarusian exercises have caused concern among the leaders of neighboring states. Thus, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said that the maneuvers simulate a real conflict with NATO countries, and criticized "the hidden scope and scenarios of the exercises." This speaks of "the aggressive nature of the exercises" West ", Grybauskaite complained to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.