Ukraine Army Aviation Mi-8 Crash

A Mi-8 of Ukraine 11th Army Aviation Brigade crashed in Kirovohrad Oblast on 31 July 2026 during an emergency dispersal of aircraft from its airfield, launched after Russian strike drones were detected approaching. Three crew members were killed and the helicopter was written off. Ukrainian reporting later questioned the circumstances of the rushed evacuation, noting that repeated Russian strikes on airbases have forced crews to relocate aircraft at very short notice and have raised the risk of accidents during dispersal. Neither the Defence Ministry nor the Air Force published findings on the cause of the crash.