Amateur video originally uploaded by Syrian opposition groups on Monday and obtained by The Associated Press claims to show a Syrian Government helicopter being shot down. The incident reportedly took place near Mennegh Air Base near Syria’s border with Turkey.

If confirmed – and opposition forces have made similar claims in the past – and if replicated, the tactic could mark an inflection point in the now two-year conflict. Rebels have long sought to deny the Bashar al-Assad regime the use of its air assets. Their efforts have largely revolved around trying to capture air bases, and included a recent effort to seize the strategic airport in Aleppo. The successful use of anti-aircraft missiles would provide rebels with a direct way to target helicopters deployed during battles. It is unlikely that the regime would be able to continue holding back opposition forces without the ability to leverage its jets and helicopters.

The video comes as Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem has announced that the regime is willing to talk to armed members of the opposition. The concession is being read against the slow but steady erosion of the Syrian army’s control over Syrian territory. Moulem’s made his comments today in Moscow, where he was meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Russian officials as far back as 2012 have acknowledged that the Assad regime, with which the Kremlin has had a long-time alliance, may not survive the ongoing conflict, which the United Nations says has claimed around 70,000 lives.