Militants shoot down Russian helicopter in Mali: all crew and troops on board killed

A Russian military helicopter was shot down in Mali near the city of Gao, killing the entire crew and paratroopers on board. The preliminary cause of the crash is said to be external fire.

This is reported by Reuters .

The information about the loss of the helicopter was voiced by Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov, who runs the aviation Telegram channel Fighterbomber. According to him, the cause of the crash could have been shelling using an anti-aircraft missile system.

“The preliminary cause of the fall was an external fire impact,” said Ilya Tumanov.

He also reported that the entire helicopter crew, as well as the mobile fire team that was on board, were killed in the incident.

Reports of a possible helicopter downing began appearing on April 25 from representatives of the “Front for the Liberation of Azawad” (FLA), but at that time there was no confirmation or photos of the wreckage.

Later, a video of the alleged crash site was posted online, but it did not allow the aircraft to be identified.

A Russian military helicopter was shot down during fighting in northern Mali, probably by rebel forces linked to JNIM.

Russian-affiliated sources say the aircraft was destroyed and the crew (possibly including Africa Corps personnel) were killed. pic.twitter.com/ZZdWp4hmRz

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 26, 2026

According to journalists, Russian units in Mali could have come under fire from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda, as well as Tuareg rebels.

Russian military lost a helicopter near Gao, Mali, reportedly shot down by a surface-to-air missile system.

The crew and a mobile fire team on board were killed. The incident was confirmed by a Russian source associated with military aviation, Fighterbomber. pic.twitter.com/OjNGyye0VY

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) April 26, 2026

It is noted that attacks are ongoing in the country, involving the groups Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA). They have claimed strikes on the capital’s airport and cities in the north, including Mopti, Sevare and Gao.

At the same time, JNIM militants stated that they did not attack Russian mercenaries and seek to build future relations.

Russia maintains a military presence in Mali through the so-called “African Corps”, whose units are participating in hostilities against rebels and Islamist groups in the region.

Recall that in Mali on April 25, armed groups carried out a series of coordinated attacks in the capital Bamako and other cities of the country . The military announced battles with militants, which indicates a sharp escalation of the security situation.

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