Ukraine destroyed four Russian attack helicopters with US-made Himars missiles hours before high-level peace talks between Moscow and Washington.

Ukraine’s special forces released footage showing the US-made missiles blowing up two Russian Ka-52 and two Mi-8 helicopters in Russia’s Belgorod region, deep behind enemy lines.

“Once again, [Russia] thought deep rear positions were unattainable. We proved that nothing is out of reach for Ukraine’s special operations forces,” the unit said in a statement.

It added that the helicopters, which Russia had attempted to camouflage close to a new landing platform, had been used in attacks on Ukraine.

The video shows the helicopters being destroyed in quick succession with large, but precisely-targeted explosions.

The US-made Himars rocket launchers rely on American intelligence for targeting data, and it was reported that Ukraine’s use of them was severely handicapped when Donald Trump temporarily stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine earlier this month.

The Himars (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) – 39 of which the US donated and which are routinely used to target Russian artillery, headquarters and supply depots – were no longer getting co-ordinates for long-range targets.

However, the flow of intelligence was reinstated once the US president received concessions from Kyiv, including support for his administration’s proposed 30-day ceasefire.

Belgorod region

Belgorod – which borders Ukraine’s Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts – is regularly used by Russian forces to launch attacks on Ukraine.

Last week, Moscow claimed it had thwarted a Ukrainian incursion into the region. Kyiv strongly denied this, saying Russia was spreading lies to undermine peace efforts.

Russian reports on Monday claimed that Ukraine had destroyed two bridges in the Belgorod region, in alleged Himars missile strikes, although Ukraine has not confirmed this.

The attacks on Belgorod came on the morning that US and Russian officials started a fresh round of talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one day after delegations from Washington and Kyiv had separate discussions.

Washington is pushing for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, allowing the free flow of shipping, and a broader cessation of fighting in Ukraine.

Mike Waltz, the US national security adviser, said the teams would discuss “the line of control” between the two countries, which he described as “verification measures, peacekeeping, freezing the lines where they are.”

Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s envoy, voiced optimism that any agreement struck would pave the way for a “full-on” ceasefire.

The meeting was expected to be followed by another contact between US and Ukrainian teams after what Kyiv called “constructive and meaningful” conversations on Sunday.