On April 2, an Mi-24 attack helicopter operated by the Abkhaz Ministry of Defense crashed in the Gulripsh district of Russian-occupied Abkhazia. The development of this incident was reported by Echo of the Caucasus, TASS, and RBK on the media platform Telegram.
The incident, described as a "hard landing," has resulted in the hospitalization of the crew members, whose conditions are currently being assessed.
The scene of the crash drew immediate attention from local emergency services, with Lev Kvitsinia, the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, arriving promptly to oversee the response efforts. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the causes of this incident.
Background of Aviation Mishaps
This crash adds to a series of recent aviation mishaps involving Russian and Abkhaz military aircraft.
In February, an Mi-8 helicopter accident occurred in Karelia, followed by an IL-76 plane crash near the "North" military airfield in the Ivanovo region on March 12, which carried 15 individuals.
Two days later, a Mi-8 helicopter with 20 people aboard went down in the Magadan region, resulting in at least one fatality according to various reports.
Abkhazia, recognized by a limited number of countries as independent but widely considered to be occupied by Russia, remains a focal point of geopolitical tensions in the Caucasus.
