New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS): Chilling videos show Russian helicopter gunships swept over Ukraine to attack an airport just miles from Kiev, The Sun reported.

Russian choppers can be seen hurtling over the landscape as they attacked the military base at Gostomel airport, the report said.

Ukrainian officials said they managed to down at least three of the aircraft -- but the Russians had managed to seize control of the area.

Kiev's presidential office said there was "fierce fighting" at the airport.

In some of most dramatic footage of the invasion so far, the helicopters are seen flying low and appearing to be firing flares as they moved in, The Sun reported.

Smoke is seen rising in the background from the devastated landscape amid the bloodshed which has plunged Europe into a new crisis.

The craft are believed to be a mix of Ka-52 Alligators, Mi-8s and Mi-24 military attack helicopters.

Elsewhere, fighter planes were seen flying low over Kiev -- while a Ukrainian An-26 transport plane was shot down, killing 5 people, the report added.

Russia launched a full scale invasion as they assaulted 25 cities, destroyed 75 military installations and 11 air bases.

Troops and tanks surged across the border -- many of them emblazoned with the now infamous "Z" symbol -- sparking bloody firefights, the report said.

VladimirPutin has nearly 200,000 soldiers ready to move in -- encircling the north, south and east of Ukraine.