MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Moscow military district commander Colonel General Ivan Yefremov has prohibited the use of MI-8 Hip army aviation helicopters in 18 central Russian regions including Moscow because the helicopters are worn out, a competent source in the district headquarters said on Tuesday.
"At present the serviceability of the Land Forces army aviation park in the Moscow military district varies between 25 and 35 percent. The unreliability of aircraft, deterioration of their flight and technical specifications are the main reasons that made the Moscow military district commander prohibit the board use of MI- 8 helicopters especially for the transportation of people, various commissions, etc.," the source told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Servicemen of the district are currently airlifted by military planes in line with a corresponding decision of Yefremov.
The district includes the 490th separate helicopter regiment located in the Klokovo village in the Tula region, 336th separate combat helicopter regiment located in the Oreshkovo and Vorotyn villages, 178th separate combat helicopter regiment located in the city of Kursk and 440th separate combat helicopter regiment located in the city of Vyazma. The Land Forces army aviation has a total of 1,500 helicopters of various types and purposes in all Russian military districts.