Viral Video Reportedly Shows Russian Attack Helicopter Dodge Wagner Missile

A video purportedly showing a Russian military helicopter narrowly dodging a missile fired by the rebel Wagner mercenary group has gone viral on social media, clocking up more than 510,000 views.

Wagner troops loyal to the group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claim they have seized the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and are reportedly hours from Moscow after heading north in a heavily armed convoy. In an address to the Russian people President Vladimir Putin described Prigozhin's actions as "treason" and "a knife in the back of our people."

The insurrection could severely weaken Russian forces in Ukraine, as they contend with a counterattack launched by Kyiv, whilst also throwing domestic Russian politics into chaos and even raising questions about the survival of the Putin regime.

Extraordinary video posted on Twitter appears to show a Russian helicopter, identified as a Ka-52 Alligator, narrowly avoiding a missile fired by Wagner fighters after launching flares to distract it. The 12-second clip, taken from a high vantage point, shows the helicopter flying over a road junction, while releasing the flares. After about 10 seconds a missile is seen shooting past the helicopter at close range.

This video was shared by 'War Translated,'a U.K.-based account with over 434,000 followers, which tracks the conflict in Ukraine.

Newsweek has not been able to independently verify the video's authenticity. The Russian Ministry of Defense has been contacted for comment via email.

Accompanying the clip the account wrote: "The Ka-52 heli defense system allows the aircraft to dodge an anti-aircraft missile fired from the Strela-10 air defense system of the Wagner PMC."

Private military company, or PMC, is a term widely used to describe non-governmental mercenary groups. The Strela-10 is a short-range, surface-to-air missile system often used to engage low-flying aircraft such as helicopters. The footage has received more than 510,000 views, and has been retweeted over 420 times.

The video was also shared by Jimmy Rushton, a Kyiv-based security expert, attracting another 30,000 views.

He wrote: "A Russian Ka-52 'Alligator' attack helicopter survives a very close shave with a surface to air missile; the helicopter is saved by its flare countermeasures."

Sebastien Roblin, a New York-based defense expert who has appeared on NBC, said: "What flare decoys saving an attack helicopter looks like, courtesy of the Wagner coup."

Speaking to Newsweek, retired U.S. general Ben Hodges said the Wagner rebellion could escalate "perhaps even to a civil war."

He added: "This could pick up momentum of course, depending on the really big question—what will the military do?

"Will they respond to Putin's orders, will they obey anything from (Russian) MoD or General Staff? Or will they either switch sides or stay on the sidelines?

"I imagine a lot of those soldiers currently deployed in Ukraine will be thinking long and hard about how enthusiastic they should be fighting against Ukrainians in a situation that must look increasingly clear to them that it is for a losing cause."