The Russia Defense Ministry has confirmed the death of the crew - three pilots and a technician - of the Mi-8 helicopter that crashed in Russia’s Pskov region northwest of Moscow on Monday.

"The rescue team that reached the crash site reported the death of three pilots and a technician," the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The helicopter that belonged to an army unit deployed in the Pskov region was making a training flight when it lost contact with the ground services on Monday evening.

"According to preliminary information, the helicopter made a crash landing in a forest several kilometers off the airfield," the defense ministry said.

A source familiar with the situation told TASS the helicopter belonged to a military helicopter unit deployed at the Veretye airfield in the Pskov region.

The region’s deputy governor, Maxim Zhavoronkov, told TASS the governor had been informed about the crash.

Source: MENA