Russian Elite crew killed in mi-8 helicopter crash
When a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter crashed in the Oryol region of Russia this week, killing all crew members on board, the story of the crash itself soon became secondary to the story of the identities of the pilots.
The crash occurred on May 23 during what was described as a routine flight and was attributed to a technical malfunction, specifically engine failure.
This marked the fifth reported Mi-8 engine failure in Russia within the first five months of 2025, highlighting the severity of the country’s engine shortages and raising serious concerns about the reliability of the Russian military’s helicopter fleet.
In early April, a Su-25 aircraft and a Tu-22M3 bomber also crashed due to technical malfunctions.
The same crew was involved in many of Russia’s key operations over the past decade:
Evacuated former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014
Fought in Syria as part of Russia’s intervention
Participated in the Hostomel raid near Kyiv in 2022
Evacuation of Yanukovych (2014)
In February 2014, as the Euromaidan protests reached their peak, this Mi-8 crew reportedly helped Viktor Yanukovych flee Kyiv and later Ukraine altogether. That operation symbolized the collapse of Ukraine’s pro-Russian leadership and marked the beginning of Russia’s direct interference in Ukrainian sovereignty.
War in Syria (2015)
Following that, the crew was deployed to Syria, where Russia propped up the Assad regime in a brutal, drawn-out proxy war. Russia’s involvement in Syria reflected Moscow’s tendency to throw its military into costly foreign conflicts with little regard for the toll on its forces.
Russia’s intervention turned the tide of the war but drew international condemnation for its brutal tactics and disregard for civilian life.
Battle of Antonov Airport (2022)
On February 24, 2022, as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the same helicopter crew took part in one of the war’s most high-stakes operations: an assault on Antonov Airport in Hostomel, just outside Kyiv. The goal was to seize the strategic airfield and open the way for a push toward the capital.
Between 20 and 34 helicopters took part in the mission. Mi-8 transport helicopters carried troops into battle, escorted by Ka-52 and Mi-24 gunships. Around 300 soldiers from elite Russian units—the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade and the 45th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade—were deployed in the opening hours.
Russian forces managed to reach and heavily damage the airport but Ukrainian defenders responded rapidly, using man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) to shoot down numerous helicopters and repel the assault.
The battle for Hostomel became one of Russia’s first major embarrassments of the war.
Within weeks, Russian forces had pulled back from the Kyiv region entirely, abandoning their hopes of capturing the capital or swiftly toppling the Ukrainian government.
From Prestige to Breakdown
Russia’s helicopter crashes are a glimpse into the slow decay of Russia’s military machine. Elite crews, once trusted with key missions, perished not in battle but on home soil, brought down by technical failure.
