The BBC gets rare access to a renowned airman and his ageing helicopter during a low-flying mission.
The best way to come back alive is to stay low, hugging the ground, and skimming the treetops. Too low and you can be shot down by machine gun fire - too high and you can be detected by enemy air defence systems.He has flown countless combat missions for Ukraine's Sikorsky Brigade and been decorated for valour. He tells us his age - 34 - but not his last name.
"The closer to the target, the lower we fly. It's one or two metres above ground," he tells the BBC. "It's not enough just to strike the target. You have to come back safe and bring your crew and helicopter back safely for the next mission."We were given rare access to Ukraine's war in the skies at an air strip on a patch of open ground. We can't say where it is - if Russia could identify the location, it would be a major target.
Roman comes in to land circling low enough over our heads for us to see him wave from the window. He's renowned among fellow airmen in his brigade for executing difficult manoeuvres - a Ukrainian top gun in an ageing Soviet aircraft. His Mi-8 helicopter is about as old as he is, and lacks heavy armour, or modern warning systems about incoming missiles. Every mission could be his last.
"Of course, there is some risk," he says after touching down. "I just don't think about this. If it happens, it will not be my problem, it will be a problem for my relatives". It sounds like a joke, but his expression is concealed by his balaclava.He will not disclose his target, but chances are it was"It was just an ordinary mission. You concentrate 100% on your task," he says. "You think of your guys waiting for you on the ground.
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