This is the moment Russian Ka-52 killer helicopters carry out “special military operations” in Ukraine and reportedly blast a camouflaged local base.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement: “Helicopters of the army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces completed airstrikes on the armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Crews of Ka-52 helicopters, flying at extremely low altitude, discovered the target, locked in, and launched missiles, destroying the camouflaged equipment.

“Army aviation, in the course of a special military operation, performs the tasks of escorting columns, destroying armoured vehicles, delivering troops and military cargo, as well as providing air support for undertaking tasks within the framework of the special operation.”

The Ka-52 Alligator, an all-weather attack and reconnaissance helicopter used by the Russian MoD, is a twin-seat variant of the Ka-50 killer chopper.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine on 24th February, minutes before missiles rained on the European country.

Putin’s invasion has caused two million people to flee Ukraine, sparking Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II.

Meanwhile, a 40-mile-long Russian military convoy is currently closing in on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in an apparent attempt to overthrow the government, however, it has remained stalled to the north of the city for several days.