Ukraine asks North Macedonia for Mi-24 helicopters
22 March, 2023 Mi-24 of the Air Force of North Macedonia. Photo from open sources North Macedonia is assessing the possible transfer of Mi-24 attack helicopters to Ukraine.
According to the media in North Macedonia, Kyiv sent Skopje a request for attack helicopters. The air force of this country on the Balkan Peninsula has 12 Mi-24 helicopters. The Ministry of Defense of North Macedonia refused to provide additional information, and added that the Ministry is "currently analyzing the possibility of approving the Ukrainian request for the transfer of helicopters."
At the same time, the country is working on the choice of new Western multirole helicopters, which at the end of this decade should replace the Soviet Mi-8/17 and Mi-24.
Mi-24 of the Air Force of North Macedonia. Photo from open sources
Countries are getting rid of these Soviet-era helicopters due to the fact that their maintenance is becoming more and more difficult. Currently, the project group is evaluating proposals from various manufacturers for the supply of multirole helicopters, which are planned to be used for military tasks, as well as for the protection and rescue of civilians.
Recently, it became known that the Czech LOM PRAHA company will repair Mi-8MT helicopters for the Armed Forces of North Macedonia. By the end of March, the LOM PRAHA state enterprise in the Czech Republic will begin an overhaul with partial modernization of helicopters. The Mi-8 repair process should last 13 months.
According to available information, these Mi-8 were made in 1985 at the Kazan Helicopter Plant and were purchased in 2001 in Ukraine.
Photo of the Macedonian Mi-8MT undergoing repair at one of Ukrainian enterprises
The helicopters later underwent upgrades involving the Israeli Elbit company. The last major overhaul of helicopters took place in 2011 in Russia at the St. Petersburg Air Repair Airline JSC.
Their operation was discontinued in 2018. Also in 2017, Militarnyi reported that the Macedonian Mi-8MT was undergoing repairs at one of the Ukrainian enterprises. Currently, North Macedonia has two more Mi-17 helicopters and two Mi-8MT.
Mi-17 airworthiness expires this year.
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