Russian Air Force Ka-52 Fleet Update

Russian aviation-focused Telegram channels reported the loss of a Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopter on 2 July 2026. The helicopter's commander was killed, while the co-pilot/weapons systems operator survived, reportedly saved by the type's ejection system. Neither the location nor the cause of the loss was disclosed. Russian forces regularly employ the Ka-52 both for battlefield strike missions and, more recently, to intercept Ukrainian long-range strike drones — a mission profile that has contributed to steady attrition of the fleet. The Ka-52 has been among Russia's most frequently lost rotary-wing types during the war.