Russia Upgrades Mi-8 Crew Protection Following Heavy Combat Losses in Ukraine

Russia is developing a new modular armor system for its Mi-8 military transport helicopter. The plan involves installing this protection on more than 50 aircraft over the next two years.

This project is a direct response to the combat losses the platform has faced in Ukraine. The Mi-8 is one of the most common helicopters in the Russian military inventory and is also among the most frequently destroyed, according to Defence Blog on April 30.

The scale of these losses has made the armor program an urgent priority. According to Oryx , Russia has lost 49 Mi-8 transport helicopters and six Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopters since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

These figures only include photographed losses, so the actual number of destroyed Mi-8 variants is likely higher. For a platform that is essential to Russian helicopter operations, this loss rate has created significant pressure to improve survivability.

The armor system is currently undergoing experimental use at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in Buryatia, Eastern Siberia, which is the main production site for the Mi-8. It uses a modular design that allows the level of protection to be adjusted based on the specific mission.

The aircraft is covered by four separate armor zones. These include the cockpit to protect the crew, the cabin and cargo area for the troops and payload, external armor on the airframe, and ramp armor to protect the entry point at the rear where troops move in and out.

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This modular approach allows for flexibility. A helicopter sent on a high-threat combat mission can carry maximum protection at the expense of cargo capacity. The same aircraft can then be reconfigured for a lower-risk logistics flight by removing weight to increase its payload.

The Mi-8 remains the primary transport helicopter for Russian operations in Ukraine. This Soviet-era design has been updated for over sixty years and is used for moving troops and supplies, medical evacuations, and special operations.

The recent development of modular armor for the Mi-8 follows a period of heavy attrition for Russian aviation. In 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed that its special forces unit “Alpha” conducted successful long-range drone strikes against five Russian military airbases, destroying 15 aircraft.

These strikes targeted a range of platforms, including Mi-8 and Mi-28 helicopters, contributing to over $1 billion in estimated damage to Russia’s military infrastructure. The high rate of airframe losses on the ground, combined with the vulnerability of transport helicopters in the air, has accelerated Russia's efforts to improve the survivability of its remaining fleet.

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