---
title: "A Russian military helicopter accidentally opened fire on an apartment building"
description: "A building full of unsuspecting Russians were treated to a nasty surprise on Sunday when a military helicopter accidentally fired a \"volley\" at their apartment complex"
date: "2020-03-17"
modified: "2020-03-17"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/russian-military-helicopter-shoots-apartment-complex/"
categories:
  - "Aircraft"
  - "Around the World"
  - "Helicopters"
  - "News"
  - "Russia"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
tags:
  - "European Command"
---

# A Russian military helicopter accidentally opened fire on an apartment building

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/russian_air_force_mil_mi-35m_zherdin-1-1.jpg>)

A building full of unsuspecting Russians were treated to a nasty surprise on Sunday when a military helicopter accidentally fired a "volley" at their apartment complex, Russian news outlet Lenta.ru [reports](<https://lenta.ru/news/2020/03/15/boom/>).

The incident, which took place in the southeastern city of Chita, reportedly involved a Russian Air Force Mi-35M attack helicopter, an export version of the Mi-24 Hind.

[According](<https://www.rt.com/russia/483233-russian-military-helicopter-shoots-apartment/>) to state-run news outlet Russia Today, the helicopter was undergoing maintenance at the nearby Cheryomushki Air Base when a malfunction occurred that caused the aircraft's chin-mounted twin-barrel GSh-23V 23mm cannon to discharge.

Cheryomushki Air Base is roughly 1.5 km, or just under a mile, from Chita.

No one was injured in the incident, which "damaged the glazing and balcony on the third floor of the building," [according to Lenta.ru](<https://lenta.ru/news/2020/03/15/boom/>).

“The command of the military unit is interacting with local authorities on the issue of compensation for damage caused,” according to l[ocal media outlet Zab.ru](<https://zab.ru/news/126102_kompensacii_vyplatyat_vladelcam_kvartir_kotorye_postradali_ot_popadaniya_vertoletnogo_snaryada_v_chite___smi>).

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident, [according](<https://defence-blog.com/news/russian-mi-35-opens-fire-by-mistake-damaged-apartment-building.html>) to Defence-Blog.

This entire incident is totally horrifying, but all things considered, this is nowhere near as bad as that time a [Russian attack helicopter fired a rocket into a group of onlookers during military exercises in 2017](<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/19/russian-helicopter-accidentally-fires-rocket-onlookers-zapad-war-games>).

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbkeller/>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jaredbkelller/>)