Russia is deploying “brand new” variants of one of its prized attack helicopters in southern Ukraine as Kyiv cranks up its counteroffensive efforts in the region, according to a new assessment.
Moscow has “augmented” its forces in southern Ukraine “with at least a small number of brand new, Ka-52M variants,” the British Defense Ministry said its in daily intelligence briefing on Thursday.
The Ka-52 “Alligator” is one of Russia’s most prized scout-attack helicopters, and Ukraine often amplifies news of Ka-52s being taken out over Ukrainian territory. The Ka-52 is “one of the single most influential Russian weapon systems” in the contested southern Zaporizhzhia region, the U.K. Defense Ministry said.
Kyiv’s counteroffensive, now approaching the two-month mark, has focused on pushing back Russian forces in eastern and southern Ukraine. But Ukraine may be increasing its efforts to reclaim territory in Zaporizhzhia after slow but steady gains along different parts of the front lines.
On Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine had launched “intensive” offensive operations and a “massive attack” in western Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian forces deployed three tank battalions, the Russian government said.
Kamov Ka-52 Hokum-B helicopters
Kamov Ka-52 Hokum-B helicopters fly on May 5, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Moscow has “augmented” its forces in southern Ukraine “with at least a small number of brand new, Ka-52M variants,” the British Defense Ministry said its in daily intelligence briefing on Thursday.
The new Ka-52 variants active in this region are “heavily modified aircraft,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said, adding the changes were influenced by Moscow’s experiences fighting in Syria. There are no confirmed losses of a modified Ka-52M helicopters in Ukraine, and Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Russian state media has reported that the Ka-52M, which is fitted with longer-range weapons and better defenses, has been “tested” in Ukraine. It completed its maiden flight in August 2020, according to state news agency Tass.
Russia has likely lost around 40 of its Ka-52s since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the government department said. The British Defense Ministry previously said Moscow had 90 of the attack helicopters in operation before the war, meaning it has now likely lost around half of its fleet.
According to a tally of visually-confirmed combat losses collated by Dutch open-source intelligence outlet, Oryx, Russia has lost 39 Ka-52s in Ukraine, as of Thursday.
But the Ka-52 has “also imposed a heavy cost on Ukraine,” the U.K. government said. It is designed to target all types of military vehicles and tanks, as well as taking out enemy manpower and the opposing military’s helicopters.
Russia’s Ka-52 fleet has been upgraded with a new anti-tank missile with a range of around 15 kilometers, or just under 10 miles, the British Defense Ministry said.
“Ka-52 crews have been quick to exploit opportunities to launch these weapons beyond the range of Ukrainian air defenses,” it said.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian forces launched a “significant” counteroffensive to the south of the Zaporizhzhia city of Orikhiv, including deploying tanks, the U.S. think tank, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest evaluation.
Ukrainian forces likely advanced in the attack, cutting through Russian defenses, the think tank said, although Russian forces “pushed Ukrainian troops back somewhat, although not all the way back to their starting positions.”
