An Mi-8 helicopter has reportedly crashed in a village in central Russia, killing all four people on board.
The aircraft crashed near the village of Prudny in Russia's Chelyabinsk region, according to Russian television network REN TV and Russian Telegram channel Baza, which is linked to Russia's security services.
The cause of the crash remains unclear.
Baza published a video, allegedly taken by an eyewitness who claimed to have seen the helicopter crash. "There were 4 people on board. According to preliminary data, all died," the channel reported.
Newsweek has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video, and has contacted Russia's defense ministry for comment via email.
The news comes days after Ukraine said it lured a Russian pilot commanding an assault transport Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter to land in Ukrainian territory and that the aircraft has been confiscated.
The Mi-8 AMTSh is an armored assault version of the Mi-8AMT helicopter, and is primarily used to carry troops and cargo. It carries a number of ground-attack weapons, and can operate at night and in all weather conditions.
This is a developing story and it will be updated when further information becomes available.
