Ukraine receives Mi-17 from Latvia
25 August, 2023 Latvian Mi-17. Photo credits: Inara Murniece. Ukraine has received another Mi-17 helicopter from Latvia's Armed Forces.
The Minister of Defense of Latvia reported about this on Twitter. "Ukraine is successfully fighting and regaining more and more occupied territories. Latvia will stand with Ukraine side by side until the total victory of Ukraine!" she wrote.
Militarnyi reported on Latvia's preparation of Mi-17 helicopters for transfer to Ukraine. The country has promised to hand over the last two Mi-17s to Ukraine in January 2013.
Latvian Mi-17. Photo from open sources.
In August 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force received two Mi-17s and two more Mi-2s from Latvia.
In exchange for Soviet-era helicopters, Latvia receives the latest UH-60M Black Hawks. The first of these helicopters arrived in the Baltic country in February 2023. In August 2018, the U.S.
State Department approved the potential supply of four UH-60M Black Hawk multi-role helicopters to Latvia.
Latvian Mi-17. Photo from open sources.
In addition, the contract includes 10 T700-GE-701D engines (8 installed and 2 spares), 10 integrated GPS/inertial navigation systems (8 installed) and other equipment, spare parts, and services worth up to £200 million. As Militarnyi has reported previously, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine lured a Russian pilot to the territory of Ukraine.
As a result of the operation, the Mi-8AMTSh helicopter was captured.
The operation was called Synytsia (Titmouse -Ed.) and lasted six months.