Croatia gave all its Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine

A few months ago, Croatia announced the transfer of Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine. The gesture of the Croatian authorities was appreciated by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. It was he who raised the issue of aid to Ukraine during a meeting with Croatian Defense Minister Mario Banožic.

All Mi-8s from Croatia went to the front

“We appreciate Croatia's steadfast commitment to helping Ukraine, as seen in numerous donations of military equipment, including all Mi-8 helicopters, in the deployment of forces to NATO battle groups in Poland, Lithuania and Hungary, as well as in donations related to humanitarian aid,” he said Lloyd Austin.

Mi-8 is a multi-role helicopter of Soviet origin, its history dates back to the 1960s. The Croatian units were fully operational and therefore provided significant support to the Ukrainians. These are units that can help carry out combat missions, but are primarily used to transport soldiers and even evacuate civilians.

There is room for up to several dozen people or up to 4,000 kg of cargo in the form of equipment or supplies on board the Mi-8. The helicopter has two engines, can reach speeds of up to 250 km/h and operates at a ceiling of up to 4.5 thousand meters. m. Armament depends on the version, usually 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, but some versions also have, among others, electronic warfare systems and space for anti-tank missiles (e.g. 9M17P Skorpion).

Croatia will use newer equipment now

Lloyd Austin and Mario Banožic also talked about the modernization of the Croatian army, but information on this subject did not reach the public space.

It is known from previous announcements that in terms of the Air Force, Croatia has decided, among others, to French multi-role Rafale fighters. The first of them reached the Adriatic Sea at the beginning of October this year. The helicopter fleet should be expanded to include at least a few Black Hawks. This is an American transport and infantry support helicopter. It is possible that Croatia, like several other countries, will receive favorable purchase conditions from the US in exchange for previous assistance to Ukraine.