A Russian attack helicopter crashed in Syria late on Monday killing both pilots, Moscow's defense ministry said in a statement.
A Russian Ka-52 helicopter crashed while on a routine flight over Syria’s eastern regions. “Both pilots were killed," the statement said.
It added that the incident "may have been due to a technical malfunction" and that a rescue team recovered the bodies.
It did not give further details.
The incident is the Russian army's second deadly crash in Syria in less than a week. On May 3, a Russian Su-300 fighter jet crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after taking off from the Hmeimim airbase, killing both pilots.
The most recent large military loss acknowledged by Russia came when a transport plane crashed on landing at the airbase in March, killing all 39 people on board.
