On camera, Russian chopper breaks into 2 before exploding in flames; 5 killed

At least five people were killed and two others sustained injuries when a Ka-226 helicopter crashed in Russia’s Republic of Dagestan on November 7.The Russian chopper was carrying employees of the EU-sanctioned Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant (KEMZ). Four senior employees of the Russian military factory and the helicopter’s flight mechanic were killed in the crash.

A video of the moment the helicopter smashed into a pier and bashed its tail off has gone viral. The aircraft is first seen tilting dangerously as it attempts to land on a sandy stretch near the shoreline when its tail collides with a rock, breaking the rear rotor. The helicopter lost equilibrium when the tail hung from its body.

The helicopter then collided with an unoccupied private house near the hamlet of Achi-Su on the Caspian Sea and burst into flames, destroying the property, according to state-run news agency TASS. Another separate CCTV footage showed the Ka-226 utility chopper smashing into a residential building and exploding.

???? BREAKING: Full video emerges of tragic Russian Ka-226 helicopter crash carrying key military factory workers.

In the disaster:

✅ Deputy General Director of Kizlyar plant✅ Chief Engineer

✅ Chief Designer

All DIED.

Kizlyar develops critical onboard equipment for Sukhoi… pic.twitter.com/1e7ZCHfjYp

— Svilen Georgiev (@siscostwo) November 9, 2025

According to several media reports, the chopper was en route from Kizlyar to Izberbash when it caught fire mid-air. The crash also caused a fire that extended across approximately 80 square metres before firefighters were able to extinguish it.Later, the Kizlyar Plant issued a statement stating that four of its employees were among the casualties. The incident was reportedly caused by a ‘technical malfunction’, according to Nexta, an Eastern European news channel.

Meanwhile, Russia’s federal aviation agency Rosaviatsia described the incident as a ‘disaster’ and mentioned that it would participate in an official investigation.

The EU sanctioned the Kizlyar facility in 2024 for producing aviation equipment for the Russian military. At the time, the EU alleged that Kizlyar Electromechanical Plant was “responsible for supporting materially actions which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.

The company manufactures the DZ-UM lock, a bomb rack for Russia’s SU-25 fighter jets that Moscow widely utilised to attack Ukraine.