During a combat mission in the SVO zone, the crew of a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter found themselves in an unusual situation: after the aircraft was damaged, they had to land it directly on the parapet of trenches held by Russian troops. The pilots' part in the battle did not end there. From the ground, they helped repel three enemy attacks.

The episode was described to RosBalt in an interview marking Russian Air Force Day by Russian Air Force unit commander Lieutenant Colonel Ilya Ya.

According to the officer, his squadron commander had flown out to attack an enemy column but failed to locate it. Nearby Russian positions were under assault at the time, and troops on the ground called for help over the radio. Rather than return with ammunition still on board, the Ka-52 crew carried out several attack runs.

During the mission, the helicopter’s fuel system was damaged. The pilots decided to put the aircraft down next to the Russian positions and managed to land it directly on the trench parapet.

By then, the Ka-52 had already used up its unguided aviation rockets, but the crew still had an automatic cannon and two guided missiles. The pilots used the remaining weapons to continue covering the Russian positions from the ground.

Ilya Ya. compared the scene to an alligator defending its territory and refusing to let an enemy approach. The Ka-52 was given the nickname «Alligator» by its designers.

Russian troops ultimately repelled three attacks. The damaged helicopter was later repaired, returned to service in the SVO zone and, as the officer put it, continued to «terrorize» the enemy.

Earlier, Military Watch Magazine reported that Russian Ka-52 attack helicopters had been modified for use against Ukrainian drones. According to the publication, the aircraft received special sensors for detecting airborne targets as well as upgraded Vikhr-M missiles.