Russian Helicopter Crash - 2002-09-26

Russian military officials say that Chechen rebels shot down a Russian helicopter during heavy fighting in the Ingushetia region on the Chechen border. Officials report that an anti-aircraft missile struck the helicopter, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. The incident occurred near the village of Galashki in the Republic of Ingushetia. Heavy clashes broke out in the area between Chechen rebels and Russian forces, with reports indicating casualties on both sides. According to military officials, following the downing of the Russian helicopter by Chechen rebels, heavy fighting is ongoing in the Ingushetia region on the Chechen border. The helicopter, an Mi-24 of the Russian Air Force, was shot down by a missile fired from a mobile anti-aircraft platform near the village of Galashki. Reports from military sources and Russian media indicate that at least 9 Russian soldiers and 70 Chechen separatists were killed in the clashes, although Chechen sources deny these figures. A statement from the Kremlin claims that Chechens have entered the Republic of Ingushetia from the Pankisi Gorge in Georgia, but this claim has not been verified by independent sources.