A video of a Russian Ka-52 combat and reconnaissance helicopter clearly shows that when its auxiliary tanks were dropped, the helicopter lost its empennage. Some thought of a direct impact of the tanks with the empennage or the result of an impact of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. The cause is actually much older and has even already affected other Russian Ka-52 helicopters used in Ukraine.
A Ka-52 without empennage
A video posted on social networks (circa June 19) confirms that a Russian Ka-52 Hokum-B combat and reconnaissance helicopter flying in Ukraine was now damaged. The video (tweet below) starts directly with the dropping of the two kerosene tanks (located under the fins of the helicopter). However, a third object is also ejected from the helicopter; it has just lost its entire empennage. The second scene of the video is a closer view of the damaged helicopter and confirms the missing empennage.
Initially, many Russian bloggers explained the scene by the direct impact of one of the tanks with the empennage… before retracting and opting for a very recent impact (just before the launch of the video) of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.
