Keys to air defense – in the hands of the Kremlin? How the State Aviation Service's decision affects Ukraine's combat readiness
Kyiv • UNN
The State Aviation Service of Ukraine granted the right to accompany the repair of Mi-8 combat helicopters to AAL Group Ltd from the UAE, which is associated with the Russian defense concern. This decision raises concerns about national security and access to sensitive information.
The State Aviation Service of Ukraine, under the leadership of Oleksandr Bilchuk, granted the right to maintain repair documentation for Mi-8 helicopters, which are actively used in combat operations, to a private company from the UAE that may be connected to a Russian defense concern. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian state-owned enterprise with many years of experience in repairing this equipment, which claimed these powers, was effectively ignored, UNN writes.
Details
The State Aviation Service of Ukraine reported on the allegedly successful resolution of the issue of Mi-8 helicopter operation. The text of the message does not specify which company received the authority to maintain repair documentation. However, its name becomes known from documents previously published by journalist Yevhen Plinsky.
Thus, according to the decision of the State Aviation Service of Ukraine, the right to maintain repair documentation for Mi-8MTV helicopters (Mi-8MTV-1 and Mi-17-1 models) was granted to the private company AAL Group Ltd, registered in the United Arab Emirates, namely in Sharjah Airport International Free (SAIF) Zone – that is, a foreign entity registered in an offshore jurisdiction.
As a result of the adopted decision, Ukrainian aircraft repair enterprises – including those that repair combat helicopters for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and other security sector structures – are obliged to coordinate their actions for the repair, maintenance, and modernization of this type of helicopter with a foreign company. This includes, in particular, technical documentation, repair specifications, the condition of individual aircraft, the scope of work, and other sensitive defense-related information.
The decision made by the State Aviation Service raises concerns, as, according to data from open sources, the real ultimate beneficiary of AAL Group Ltd may be the company "Russian Helicopters," which is associated with the state defense concern "Rostec."
Moreover, AAL Group Ltd is involved in schemes for supplying helicopters and components to Middle Eastern countries – including Afghanistan and Iraq – in cooperation with structures of the Russian military-industrial complex. At the same time, within the framework of Russian propaganda campaigns, particularly on the "Afghanistan.ru" resource, AAL Group Ltd was mentioned in the context of an alleged "Ukrainian trace" in the maintenance of Mi-171 helicopters in Afghanistan, attempting to present the company as a Ukrainian party and shift responsibility for a series of technical incidents with helicopters from Russia to Ukraine.
Of particular concern is also the fact that a Ukrainian state-owned enterprise, which is 100% state-owned and has many years of experience in repairing Mi-8 helicopters, tried to obtain the right to maintain repair documentation, but the State Aviation Service preferred an offshore structure linked to the aggressor country.
UNN has repeatedly sent information requests to the State Aviation Service of Ukraine asking for comment on the situation surrounding the maintenance of repair documentation for Mi-8 helicopters. The issue is particularly relevant, as, as stated by the commander of the Army Aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Pavlo Bardakov, Ukraine does not plan to abandon the operation of Mi-8s, which are critically important for performing combat missions.
The importance of these helicopters has also been repeatedly emphasized by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, the head of the communications department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yuriy Ihnat, reported that from the first days of the full-scale invasion, Mi-8s provide fire support on the ground, strike enemy positions with unguided missiles, participate in heroic operations in Mariupol, ensure the evacuation of the wounded, and are also involved in air defense — in particular, for destroying Shahed-type attack drones and enemy UAVs.
At the time of publication, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine, under the leadership of its head Oleksandr Bilchuk, had not provided answers to UNN's inquiries.
Given the facts presented, it can be concluded that such decisions by the State Aviation Service of Ukraine effectively undermine the state's defense capability. Granting critical powers in the technical support of combat helicopters to a private structure with offshore registration, which is linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, creates direct threats to national security. This concerns not only the possible leakage of sensitive technical information but also the risks of interference in repair processes, sabotage, or unauthorized collection of data on Ukraine's combat equipment. While Ukrainian specialists with many years of experience remain on the sidelines, control over key elements of the infrastructure is effectively transferred to entities close to the aggressor state. Such decisions can only benefit one side – the Russian Federation, which is interested in weakening the technical capabilities of the Ukrainian army and reducing its autonomy in the field of aviation equipment maintenance.
How the situation will develop further – time will tell, but it is obvious that the issue requires immediate reaction and risk elimination. First of all, this concerns eliminating the potential dependence of the defense sector on foreign structures associated with the aggressor country, restoring the priority of national manufacturers who have the necessary competence, belong to the state, and enjoy the trust of defense structures. In the conditions of a full-scale war, even administrative decisions in the field of civil aviation can have strategic consequences for the front.
Recall
As experts note, Ukraine has not only the potential to modernize Mi-8 helicopters but also the opportunity to create an international hub for their technical maintenance and combat refinement on its base. The modernization resource of the Mi-8 has not yet been exhausted. These helicopters can be used as platforms for deploying command and control centers, as well as electronic warfare equipment. Such functionality is possible, in particular, due to the presence of EW systems in some Mi-8 modifications that can suppress communication channels and enemy radio intelligence means. That is, the potential is truly extensive, and it is important not to lose these capabilities – neither in production nor in technological terms.