Quality not quantity of helicopters is key, says Ukrainian pilot

Record ID: 1717758

  • Title: Quality not quantity of helicopters is key, says Ukrainian pilot
  • Date: 26th March 2023
  • Summary: DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE (MARCH 25, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HELICOPTERS FLYING SOLDIERS INSPECTING HELICOPTER ROCKET BARREL (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELICOPTER PILOT OF THE 18TH AVIATION BRIGADE, ROMAN (NO SURNAME GIVEN), AGED 34, SAYING: "So it should be something from the West. I think it would be like a decision done at a political level. Personally, me - I would like to fly copters which are popular in other countries who are members of NATO and copters which are created in big amounts which means they are long in service … so personally I would prefer some kind of Black Hawk or Apache." COCKPIT SOLDIER BOARDING HELICOPTER REAR ROTORS SOLDIER BOARDING HELICOPTER PILOT IN COCKPIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELICOPTER PILOT OF THE 18TH AVIATION BRIGADE, ROMAN (NO SURNAME GIVEN), AGED 34, SAYING: "We do our best using the old ammunition but we need new ones. Russians use the same copters and they have more of them than we have, so we cannot rely on quantity. We should rely on quality. We need new weapons systems, we need new copters, and we do it; we try to modernise our army step by step. But, even (though) I am a pilot and I like my copters, I understand that we can’t win the war only using copters." VARIOUS OF HELICOPTERS MANOEUVRING OVER AND NEAR AIRFIELD VARIOUS OF HELICOPTER LANDING ON AIRFIELD REAR ROTORS SLOWING DOWN SOLDIERS INSPECTING HELICOPTER VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS SERVICING BARREL SOLDIER CARRYING ROCKET SOLDIERS ON HELICOPTER ROOF
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2023 13:48
  • Keywords: Donetsk region Eastern frontline Russian invasion War in Ukraine
  • Location: DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE / GIVEN AS DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE
  • City: DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE / GIVEN AS DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA003025325032023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: THE HELICOPTER PILOT'S FACE WAS OBSCURED AT THE REQUEST OF THE UKRAINE ARMED FORCES
    After taking off from an airfield near the Donbas frontline in a Soviet-era helicopter, Ukrainian helicopter pilot Roman said on Saturday (March 25) he'd prefer to fly Western models.
    Talking to Reuters in an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region, the 34-year-old said Ukraine needed newer attack helicopters and weapons systems to gain advantage over Russia on the battlefield.
    "We do our best using the old ammunition but we need new ones. Russians use the same copters and they have more of them than we have, so we cannot rely on quantity. We should rely on quality," said Roman, who refused to give his surname for security reasons.
    The Ukrainian Armed Forces shared footage it said showed a helicopter during a combat mission, firing rockets onto Russian positions.
    Reuters was not able to independently confirm the location where the footage was taken or the date when it was filmed.
    (Production: Vladyslav Smilianets, Felix Hoske)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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