Military

Russian MoD Claims Destruction Of Ukrainian Tank With Whirlwind Missile System Fitted To Attack Helicopters

The Russian Ministry of Defence has issued this footage apparently implying that the attack helicopters seen in these images took out a Ukrainian tank using the “Whirlwind” anti-tank missile system.

But the video only shows the Ka-52 attack helicopters taking off and going for a spin. There are no images showing the alleged destruction of the Ukrainian tank, as claimed by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The footage is accompanied by what appears to be a targeting system with something in its sights, but it is difficult to distinguish what the image shows. The Russian MoD also failed to provide the location of where the event allegedly took place.

Ka-52 helicopters destroyed a tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the anti-tank missile system “Whirlwind” in Ukraine. (@mod.mil.rus/Newsflash)

Newsflash obtained the images from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday (Sunday, 20th March) along with a statement saying: “From 7,000 metres: the destruction of a tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the ‘Whirlwind’ anti-tank missile system.”

The Russian MoD added: “A flight of Ka-52 helicopters, in the course of fire support for the advancing troops, destroyed enemy tanks with the Vikhr anti-tank missile system. The task was carried out without entering the air defence zone of the affected area using the hover mode.”

‘Vikhr’, meaning ‘Whirlwind’ in Russian, is the unofficial name of the 9K121 Vikhr system, known by the NATO reporting name of AT-16 Scallion. It is a laser-guided, anti-tank missile system that can be launched from navy warships and some fighter jets, as well as Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters.

Ka-52 helicopters destroyed a tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the anti-tank missile system “Whirlwind” in Ukraine. (@mod.mil.rus/Newsflash)

The Russian Ministry of Defence and the Kremlin have been repeatedly accused of spreading disinformation and propaganda regarding the invasion of Ukraine started by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, 24th February, which Russian authorities and state-run media are still calling a “special military operation”.

NATO forces have been reluctant to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s repeated requests for them to do so as civilian casualties continue to rise.

But the United States and the European Union, along with the United Kingdom and their allies, have been providing unprecedented military support as Ukraine’s military and civilians resist the Russian forces amid widespread reports that they have become bogged down.

Ka-52 helicopters destroyed a tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the anti-tank missile system “Whirlwind” in Ukraine. (@mod.mil.rus/Newsflash)

The United Nations’ International Court of Justice has ruled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine illegal and last week it ordered Putin to remove his troops immediately.

Former British Prime Ministers Sir John Major and Gordon Brown have called for the creation of a Nuremberg-style international tribunal to investigate Putin.

The proposal has been co-signed by 140 intellectuals and academics, as well as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Benjamin Ferencz, who is 102 years old and who prosecuted Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg.

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