January 27, Sunday, at 11.30 am, about 4 km from the village of Shelkovskaya, an Mi-8 helicopter belonging to the group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Chechen Republic exploded in the air. 14 people were killed, including 3 crew members. To date...

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January, on Sunday, at 11.30 in the morning, about 4 km from the village of Shelkovskaya, a Mi-8 helicopter belonging to the group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Chechen Republic exploded in the air. 14 people were killed, including 3 crew members.

So far, 12 people have been identified.

Version I

The fact that the helicopter could have been shot down by militants using a mobile anti-aircraft missile system is the least likely.

The situation in Shelkovskaya today is the calmest in the entire territory of Chechnya. In addition, the terrain is flat. And as the presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District Viktor Kazantsev said: “In an open field, the militants could not fire not only from a rocket launcher, but even from a machine gun with an underbarrel grenade launcher.” However, this version is supported by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General of the Army Anatoly Kvashnin. The militants themselves support him in this regard. After all, they also somehow need to account for the funds received from extremist organizations.

Version II

Helicopter technical malfunction. This version is categorically denied by the headquarters of the helicopter regiment, which owned the crashed Mi-8. However, this version cannot be discarded. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and, in particular, internal troops received aviation equipment from the Ministry of Defense that was far from being the newest. Yes, it was not new. The Ministry of Defense itself has not received it for the last 12 years. It is no coincidence that the same plenipotentiary in the Southern District, Viktor Kazantsev, is still going to send a memo to Moscow "On the state of the fleet of aircraft and helicopters in Chechnya."

Version III

That the explosive device was planted before the helicopter took off from Khankala. To accept this version means to acknowledge the fact of betrayal. It cannot be completely ruled out, but it is unlikely. I know from experience that the grouping of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Chechnya is protected much more seriously and more strictly than the grouping of the Ministry of Defense.

Version IV

It was voiced by Federal Minister for Chechen Affairs Vladimir Yelagin. He does not rule out an accidental firing from an underbarrel grenade launcher, which could have occurred as a result of careless handling of weapons by one of the servicemen from the security group on board the helicopter.

I personally know how inaccurately young servicemen from the guards of the commanding staff of the group behave. We believe that this version is the most likely.

An investigation by experts and investigators from the military prosecutor's office could confirm it in the near future. True, if the interests of some high officials are not affected here.