The recordWhat this system is, where it comes from, who operates it and which of Vigil’s modules it is relevant to — with the evidence each of those rests on.
FieldedEvidence: Confirmed
Record
FamilyMi-8
VariantsMi-8; Mi-17; Mi-171Sh
OriginSoviet Union / Russia
Era1967 service entry; fielded by both sides in Ukraine; Mi-171Sh delivered to Mali 2021–2022
Appears inUkraine–Russia · Mali
Conflict relevance
This is the catalogue's single record for this system. It is relevant to the modules below; each module's Force Atlas shows how it is used there.
Operators
Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) · Primary operatorRussia — Sahel security role · Secondary operatorUkraine · Primary operatorRussia · Primary operator
Ukraine: The backbone of Ukrainian army aviation: assault transport, resupply and medevac. · Russia: Fielded across all Russian aviation branches in the same roles.
DonorsRussia
Battlefield role
In Ukraine, the backbone of battlefield aviation on both sides — assault transport, resupply and medevac flown under constant air-defence threat. In Mali, the Mi-171Sh deliveries are the state's air mobility, connecting garrisons that roads no longer safely reach.
Branch & service operators
- Malian Air Force (Armée de l’Air) Documented
PartialConfidence: HighSources: Established international media reporting · ACLED conflict data & analysis↗ · Oryx visually-confirmed equipment documentation↗MethodologyCorrections
Assessed as of2026-06Last reviewed2026-07-19