Will Ukraine lose control over the Mi-8 repair market? The decision of the State Aviation Service caused a stir and suspicions of treason

The strategic sector of Ukrainian aviation may be delegated to risky managers. The decision of the State Aviation Service to transfer control over the repair of Mi-8 helicopters to a foreign company, which is associated with the Russian military-industrial complex, has stirred up the aviation community. Against this background, politicians warn of economic and security risks and emphasize the need for inspections, not excluding signs of treason, writes UNN.

DetailsAn entire segment of the domestic aviation industry – the technical maintenance of Mi-8 helicopters, of which about 2,400 units are operated worldwide – is under threat of destruction. The main centers for the repair, modernization, and maintenance of the airworthiness of these machines are still Ukraine and Russia. Leadership in this segment is of strategic importance, as it concerns international contracts, tax revenues, the preservation of key technologies, research and development, human resources, and, ultimately, the country’s defense capability.

Ukraine was and, despite the challenges of war, remains a leader in the aviation industry on the global market as a whole. However, the internal situation and the decisions of individual state structures jeopardize this status. In particular, the State Aviation Service, under the leadership of Oleksandr Bilchuk, transferred the right to accompany repair documentation for Mi-8 helicopters (Mi-8MTV-1 and Mi-17-1) to a foreign company, although Ukrainian enterprises with the necessary competencies also claimed these powers. This creates a dependence of the work of domestic specialists on a foreign entity, which now has to approve any work with Mi-8.

According to People’s Deputy Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk, such a decision causes economic damage and is especially unacceptable in wartime.

This is definitely economically inexpedient and unacceptable, especially during the war. And it is twice as difficult when it comes to aviation equipment – whether military or civilian dual-purpose – it is unacceptable. Especially if there are domestic certified and professional companies, and there are indeed such in Ukraine

The situation with the Mi-8 gained publicity after it became known that the foreign company chosen by the State Aviation Service was AAL Group Ltd, a private company registered in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in Sharjah Airport International Free (SAIF) Zone – that is, a foreign entity registered in an offshore jurisdiction. Even more questions are raised by the fact that AAL Group Ltd is associated with Russia, as its probable ultimate beneficiary may be the company “Russian Helicopters”, which is part of the state defense concern “Rostec”.

In addition, AAL Group Ltd is involved in schemes for supplying helicopters and components to 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, the company was mentioned in the context of an alleged “Ukrainian trace” in the maintenance of Mi-171 helicopters in Afghanistan, and thus attempts were made to present it as the Ukrainian side and shift responsibility for a series of technical incidents with these helicopters from Russia to Ukraine.

“Anti-state decision”: VRU Committee on National Security called for the cancellation of the State Aviation Service’s transfer of Mi-8 powers to a foreign company07.08.25, 17:11 • 63229 views

All the cumulative facts of this story, according to Ukrainian experts, require immediate verification and response at the highest level.

MP Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk explained that the transfer of powers important for Ukraine to foreign companies in conditions of martial law should only be possible after conclusions and checks by the Security Service of Ukraine and foreign intelligence, in order to exclude risks from the aggressor country. Given all the circumstances revealed, he emphasized the need for immediate government intervention and a comprehensive inspection to identify those responsible.

 An immediate official inspection must be carried out by the Cabinet of Ministers, and if those responsible are identified, they must be held accountable, so that such cases are not allowed in the future. Because here, perhaps, it “smells” of state treason. There must be a professional inspection

Another parliamentarian, People’s Deputy and member of the VRU Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence Yuriy Zdebkyi, expressed concern about the situation, emphasizing that due to public concern and risks to national security, the decision of the State Aviation Service should be thoroughly analyzed, and competent authorities should provide a legal assessment.

“Of course, common sense must be present when making decisions, and not just like that. (…) This needs to be studied and appropriate decisions made. The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police should provide an answer to this,” commented Yuriy Zdebkyi.

The MP also noted that it is too early to draw final conclusions, as the decision of the State Aviation Service could have been made taking into account various factors. He did not rule out possible lobbying influences or misunderstandings, but emphasized that “everyone has their own truth.” Zdebkyi added that he could raise this issue at the next meeting of the parliamentary committee to clarify all the details and get a complete picture.

Thus, it seems that the transfer by the State Aviation Service of the right to approve repair work for strategic aviation equipment to a foreign company associated with the aggressor state may not be just a management error, but a decision that directly creates threats to national security. This is about the actual withdrawal from Ukrainian control of a critically important segment of the defense infrastructure. If AAL Group Ltd acts in the interests of Russia, the consequences will be catastrophic: Ukraine will lose not only a profitable sector of the international market for Mi-8 maintenance and repair, but also control over technologies, design school, human resources, and production chains that have been formed for decades. This will mean weakening defense capabilities, outflow of highly qualified specialists, and undermining Ukraine’s position as a world leader in helicopter manufacturing and aircraft repair.

RecallEarlier, experts explained that technical support for documentation depends on the availability of valid authorizations from the helicopter type developer. It is possible that AAL Group Ltd had current access to the latest technical documentation for the Mi-8, given possible working ties with the Russian defense holding “Russian Helicopters.”

It was also mentioned that in wartime conditions, the decision of the State Aviation Service regarding the Mi-8 could have much more serious consequences than it seems at first glance. In particular, there is a risk of data on the technical condition and combat readiness of Ukrainian helicopters falling into the hands of the aggressor state, the danger of establishing control means or carrying out sabotage through access to repair processes or technical documentation, and other negative consequences.