Three survivors in helicopter crash in Chechnya

Overall, there were nine persons on board of the Mi-8 helicopter that crashed in the Itum-Kala District, the Military Commander's Office (MCO) of Chechnya has reported. Two border guards managed to jump off the helicopter before the crash; another soldier was hospitalized with traumas.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported referring to the operative headquarters that there were six casualties and one heavily wounded person on board.

The MCO has provisionally announced poor weather as the cause of the accident: it was snowing and raining in the venue; and visibility was limited; the helicopter could hit the rocks with its blades.

As clarified by the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, in his Telegram, the helicopter was to take border guards to the outpost, and hovered two meters above the ground to let them jump down, but suddenly lost control.