Russia announced that it had mastered the art to launch Kh59/69 cruise missiles from Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopters

Military expert Oleh Zhdanov said how dangerous this could be for Ukraine, where the enemy might target, and how many such helicopters Russia possesses.

According to him, the Kh-59 and Kh-69 are essentially the same missile. The difference is that the Kh-69 is upgraded, with an increased range. The Kh-59 has a range of 300 kilometers. The upgraded Kh-69, as claimed by Russia, has a range of 400 km.

"Unfortunately, this is real. The missile can be attached to any aircraft, given the desire. We have already felt the impact of these missiles. The Trypilska Thermal Power Plant near Kyiv was destroyed by Kh-69 missiles. Previously, they were based on various aircraft models — Su-34, Su-35, MiG-29. Now they have decided to mount them on helicopters," Oleh Zhdanov said.

It is easier to shoot down planes than helicopters, says the military expert. Helicopters fly at minimal altitudes and can suddenly "pop up" and launch missiles.

"A plane needs 10-20 kilometers to turn around, it cannot turn like a car — steering wheel right, steering wheel left. The larger the plane, the larger the turning radius. For instance, the MiG-31, a carrier of the "Kinzhal," has a turning radius of 50-70 kilometers. But the range of this missile is almost a thousand kilometers, so these 50 do not significantly affect it. When the missile range is 300, then 10 kilometers for the plane's turn is significant," Oleh Zhdanov explained.

At the same time, a helicopter can approach close to the border and launch the missile at low altitude. In such a case, according to the military expert, it will be very difficult to shoot it down.

"There are over 150 such helicopters in Russia. We have destroyed only half of them. Most likely, it will not carry more than two missiles. But there are many these helicopters, and they can carry out strikes. By the way, two attack helicopters recently flew to Belarus. Previously, a tactical aviation group was located there, and now two "Alligator" Ka-52s have joined them. And we understand the distance to Kyiv from the Belarusian border — less than 200 kilometers. So here is the threat already," Oleh Zhdanov said.

According to the military expert, the Russian army might use helicopters during massive attacks on Ukraine.

"I think they will use them as needed. Yes, they can be included in a massive strike. The Russians try to overload our air defence system and thus achieve greater results in hitting targets on Ukrainian territory. Also, due to the stealth of launches and the difficulty in detecting these cruise missiles, the Russians might use them for single attacks, a sort of harassing fire," Oleh Zhdanov says.

He notes that Russia has several hundred Kh-59 missiles in stock. However, there are significantly fewer upgraded Kh-69s.

"Because it is a new missile, it is just beginning to be produced. And the Kh-59 is an old Soviet missile, it is in stock. That is why they started using it constantly — they regularly launch one or two missiles at our territory," the military expert said.

(Ukrainian News Agencies)