Interesting footage has emerged from Ukraine of at least two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters testing new limits on how low they can fly to avoid enemy detection.

Two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters are visible in the video taken from the ground.

Two planes are approaching a military filming area and are flying very low, close to the ground.

As the plane approaches, the three soldiers on the ground realize that the helicopters are flying very, very low and close to the ground, and actually dive to the ground as they pass a short distance above them.

Why do Ukrainian and Russian helicopters fly so low

Both the Ukrainians and the Russians in the last year of the war resorted to the use of low-altitude fighter aircraft to avoid radar detection and to make it difficult for enemy aircraft, which may be equipped with land-based weapons such as MANPADS.

In this case, the Ukrainians, who were caught flying very, very low, used helicopters at low altitude to ensure that they would not be detected by enemy radars, and while flying to the point from which they would launch the missiles. stay away from buildings, trees and other elements that can interrupt direct communication with a potential enemy armed with MANPADS.

This tactic is always used until the helicopters have time to launch their missiles, where they quickly ascend, launch their weapons, and immediately return to the ground, also launching protective heat traps in case of enemy missiles with infrared tracking heads. Helicopters mostly launch unguided rockets, used as aerial artillery, which can provide impact over a larger area, but with very low accuracy.