Russian Military Helicopter Accidentally Launches Rocket At Spectators

A Russian news website has reported that two people were injured when a helicopter gunship accidentally fired a rocket at spectators.

The incident is said to have happened during a military drill in western Russia as part of Exercise Zapad. 

The video, posted on the online 66.ru news portal, shows two KA-52 helicopters flying low when one fires an air-to-ground rocket that explodes, destroying two vehicles.

It is reported that the two bystanders have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Russian military has acknowledged that the footage is genuine and that a missile was accidentally fired but deny the incident occurred during the ongoing security exercises, and said no-one was hurt.

A spokesman for the western military district said:

"On 18 September during "Zapad-2017" exercises, no accidents with military aircraft occurred.

"All the reports on social media about firing into a crowd of journalists, with many wounded - is a provocation or someone's stupidity".

The military representatives said that the video circulating on social media is a different exercise - where helicopter pilots were targeting the ground as part of drills.

"The guidance system of one of the helicopters locked onto a wrong target. As a result of the accidental missile launch, a lorry, without people inside, was damaged".