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How Many Mi-8 Helicopters is Russia Producing Amid War and Sanctions?
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
Analysts have assessed the current production of Mi-8 multi-role helicopters for the Russian Ministry of Defense, according to a report by the intelligence and analytical group Frontelligence Insight on December 16.
The study notes that over 12,000 Mi-8 helicopters were produced in various configurations during the Soviet era, including export versions. Today, production is concentrated at two factories—Kazan Helicopter Plant and Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant—both part of the state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec.
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Russia’s Aerospace Forces are estimated to operate around 300 Mi-8s. However, the fleet is significantly larger, as the helicopters are also used by other security and government agencies, including the FSB, the FSB Border Service, the National Guard (Rosgvardiya), and several federal ministries.
Current production rates were estimated by analyzing component orders, including a 2025 contract for 40 IS-264A-2 thermometers. Each Mi-8 requires two of these instruments, suggesting the contract could support the production of approximately 20 helicopters.
“While we do not have data on MoD contracts for 2024, we do know that according to Rostec, in 2024, State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) was supplied with 40 Mi-8MTV-1 utility helicopters. If GTLK received 40 helicopters in 2024 alone, we can conclude that Russian helicopter plants are capable of producing AT Least 40 helicopters annually, with the total number actually likely be higher,” Frontelligence Insight wrote.
These figures apply only to helicopters built for the Ministry of Defense and do not include machines intended for emergency services or other government agencies. Actual production capacity could be higher if resources are allocated beyond purely military needs.
The report highlights Russia’s limited but stable ability to maintain and modernize its Mi-8 fleet amid war and sanctions. According to open-source intelligence service Oryx, Russia has lost at least 48 Mi-8 helicopters so far, including one captured by opposing forces.
Even accounting for these factors, the figures suggest that losses may have been fully replaced, with a potential net increase, according to the report. Using the confirmed 54 losses and adding 20% to account for unreported incidents and wear from heavy use yields roughly 65 total losses. Over 2024 and 2025, even a conservative production rate of 20 helicopters per year would replace more than half of the helicopters lost during the war.
These estimates are not definitive, as production data for 2022 and 2023 remain unclear. Still, even if Mi-8 production for the Defense Ministry occurred only in 2025, that single year would cover approximately 37% of total wartime losses, Frontelligence Insight concluded.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service released footage of a Russian Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter being destroyed, a loss made particularly significant because Moscow can no longer produce new Mi-26s due to engine supply shortages, Ukrainian defense outlet Defense Express reported on December 8.
-dc3b3d7fb11d0441be6e20b3bd04f5d2.jpeg "Illustrative image. Russian cavalry units training, 2025. (Source: Russian media)")
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")