Probably the most used combat helicopter in the world at the moment is the Soviet or Russian Mil Mi-24 Hind, referred to as the Mi-35 in export versions. More than 50 countries have it in their arsenal, and often even the less developed ones, where they do not always follow such standards of maintenance and training. This is also why there can be relatively frequent reports of a helicopter crashing.
The crashed Mi-24P most likely failed somehow
One of the helicopter crashes (or rather its consequences) is captured in the video below the article. The footage also shows a flying helicopter, but in this case it is a Mil Mi-8 Hip transporter or the Mi-17 developed from it. However, the crashed helicopter was a Mi-24P belonging to the Air Force of Abkhazia, according to MilIn. The shots do not show the machine directly, but only the smoldering wreckage in the distance.
What exactly happened in the crash is not known. Its most likely cause is human error or some technical fault. Although Abkhazia was a troubled region in the past, but now there is no combat in it, so getting shot down is rather unlikely. There were 3 people on board, and Aviation-Safety reports that they survived and ended up in hospital. The pilot probably managed to successfully land his helicopter and thus save everyone.
Version armed with a twin-barreled autocannon
The Mi-24P is a variant of the Soviet Mi-24 helicopter produced between 1981 and 1989, but Russia could later resume production of this variant. The armament differs from the well-known Mi-24V. WeaponSystems reports that instead of the Yak-B 12.7mm minigun in the bow it has a double-barreled Gsh-30K 30-millimeter autocannon, giving it great firepower. Otherwise, it does not differ much from ordinary machines – it can carry a mixture of unguided or guided missiles, bombs or suspended autocannons.
It is very problematic to find out how it is with the maintenance of helicopters in Abkhazia. Officially, it is the territory of Georgia, according to Wikipedia, and the autonomous republic is located on it. But since 1993 Georgia does not have control over this territory, and although the local authorities pretend to be independent, it is essentially a Russian protectorate. There were supposed to be 2 Mi-24P machines in the arsenal of this autonomous republic, but the exact number or the state of their maintenance cannot be reliably verified.
