Russian helicopter fires at spectators during military exercise - POLITICO
A military helicopter accidentally fired on a group of spectators during a military exercise, Russian news portal 66.ru reported Tuesday.
A undated video shows two helicopters shooting missiles toward bystanders. There are contradictory reports about casualties. The 66.ru report quoted a military source who said three people were injured, but a Russian military spokesperson said there were no injuries.
“The targeting system of one of the helicopters made an erroneous target,” the military’s statement said. “As a result, an unguided rocket hit one of the trucks without any people in it.”
The helicopter drill was part of Zapad, a large-scale joint military exercise with Belarus taking place close to Russia’s border with Estonia. According to the Guardian, the exercises involve 12,700 military personnel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the exercises on Monday. Russian officials said the video was taken before Putin’s visit.