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The video, alleging to show ISIS militants downing the chopper east of Palmyra, Homs yesterday evening was published by its affiliated news agency, Amaaq.

Russia's Ministry of Defence today confirmed the attack.

It said that two helicopter instructors were killed.

(Image: AMAAQ)

A statement read: "On July 8, Russian military pilot-instructors Evgeny Dolgin and Ryafagat Khabibulin, were conducting a calibration flight on a Syrian Mi-25 (export version of the Mi-24) helicopter loaded with ammunition in the province of Homs.

"The crew received a request from the Syrian command group to help defeat the advancing terrorists and fire for effect.

"The captain of the aircraft, Ryafagat Khabibulin, made a decision to attack."

It added that they had thwarted an attack, but helicopter was shot down by terrorists as it headed back to the base.

ISIS – also known as Daesh – yesterday broke the news it had shot down the aircraft just east of Tadmur, through Amaaq.

The attack came as Russian president Vladimir Putin vowed to send his deadliest warship to the Med to fight the terrorist regime.

A translated statement released by Amaaq said: "By Allah's grace alone, the soldiers of the Khilafah launched an attack with heavy weapons on Nusayri regime locations east of the silos in Tadmur city.

"The Mujahidin managed to take control over three checkpoints of the apostates, where afterwards, one of the knights of the shahada managed to advance with his boody-trapped BMP and blow it up amid a gathering of elements form the army and the Rafidi militia elements that support them, killing and injuring dozens.

"In the meantime, the soldiers of the Khilafah shot down a Russian helicopter as it attempted to raid their locations, which led to destroying it and killing those on board and all praise is due to Allah."