Russia Quietly Lost a State-of-the-Art Mi-8 Helicopter. Here’s What We Know

Russian forces attempted to conceal the loss of a Mi-8MTV-5M military transport helicopter that was severely damaged in January 2025, according to military analyst Duke BG, who published internal correspondence on social media platform X.

The incident reportedly occurred on January 21 in Russia’s Voronezh region. Messages cited by Duke BG indicate that the helicopter had been airborne for about an hour and a half before the crew lost control.

“The right leg on the support. Everyone landed alive, the helicopter is broken. There was no combat impact, preliminarily,” one of the communications stated.

Photos released show the helicopter heavily damaged after an emergency landing. While the crew survived, the aircraft sustained serious structural losses and was taken out of service for an extended period. The case was not reflected in Russia’s official loss statistics.

The Mi-8MTV-5M is a modernized variant of the Soviet-designed Mi-8, featuring a digital autopilot, multifunction display, upgraded communications equipment, and an auxiliary power unit.

It is used for transporting troops, cargo, and weapons, as well as for operations under combat conditions. In addition to domestic use, Russia has exported these helicopters to partner states. In 2021, Armenia’s armed forces received new Mi-8MTV-5 models.

Earlier, on August 30, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence carried out a drone strike on a Russian airbase near Simferopol, destroying two Mi-8 helicopters and damaging a naval tugboat in Sevastopol Bay. Satellite images later confirmed the losses, estimated at up to $30 million.

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