Azovstal failed helicopter evacuation. US sends warning to India. Letter ‘V’ canceled

On the morning of 31 March, another attempt was made to evacuate the Azov Regiment commanders from the Azovstal plant using two Mi-8 helicopters. A DPR official said that both helicopters were shot down. Notably, the helicopters were allowed to land on the territory of Azovstal, and were shot down after taking off with the evacuees on board.

One helicopter went down near Rybatskoye. The crew and passengers were found dead. The helicopter was tentatively identified as Mi-8MSB, tail number 864, of the Poltava 18th Aviation Brigade. The second one went up in smoke but continued on its way. Reports are now coming in that the landing site of the second helicopter has been found. There are three survivors from the crew and passengers of the second helicopter.

This was the second attempt to evacuate the Azov commanders by helicopters. On 28 March, Russian air defence forces shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 over the sea.

Source: https://tinyl.io/604m