New Satellite Images Reveal Russia’s ‘Helicopter Graveyard’ Filling Up

New satellite images suggest the number of decommissioned aircraft at Russia’s “helicopter graveyard” has increased significantly since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian air base near the western city of Syzran, widely known for storing aircraft no longer fit for flight, now holds about 71 Mi-8 and Mi-24/35 helicopters, according to the open-source intelligence platform The Military Watch, which assembled the satellite images of the site over the years. 

About 31 of these units arrived at the facility after 2022, suggesting Moscow has suffered substantial combat losses among its aircraft fleet over the years, the platform suggested in a post on X on Sunday. 

The Mi-8 helicopter is a versatile aircraft widely used not only by the military but also by law enforcement and various state agencies in Russia, while the Mi-24/35 series is primarily dedicated to military roles, serving both as an attack and troop transport aircraft. 

There are about 300 units of each type estimated to be in Russian military service, but the exact number of combat-ready airframes remains unknown.

Aircraft losses

Several aircraft stored at the Syzran base are believed to have reached the end of their service lives or were disabled during combat and will be used as a source of spare parts to maintain the existing fleet.

Russia is thought to consistently struggle to keep pace with the necessary repairs and production of new aircraft amid sustained losses inflicted by Ukrainian forces.

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Regional authorities said a 39-year-old man was also wounded in the attack, while emergency crews continued assessing potential additional casualties along the Black Sea coast.

In 2023, Moscow reportedly sought to reacquire helicopter engines it had previously exported to countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, Belarus, and Brazil in an attempt to bolster its forces amid significant equipment losses, the Ukrainian military outlet Militarnyi reported.

The conflict in Ukraine has also significantly disrupted Russia’s position as a global weapons supplier, with Moscow’s arm exports plunging by 47%  since the full-scale invasion.

 According to Ukrainian army, Russia has lost 347 helicopters of all type in its war against Kyiv.