According to Russia, the Afghan Taliban have taken over 100 Mi-17 helicopters since their takeover.

According to a Russian state arms dealer, the Taliban have taken more than 100 Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters from various airbases and army depots since gaining control of war-torn Afghanistan.

According to Interfax, the Taliban have taken over 100 Mi-17 helicopters of various models purchased by the US for the Afghan military forces.

The Taliban, on the other hand, will be mostly unable to utilise them due to a lack of maintenance staff and replacement parts, according to Alexander Mikheev, the president of Russia’s state exporter Rosoboronexporter.

“Of course, this fleet requires repair, maintenance, and spare parts supply,” he added, adding that a substantial section of the fleet may already be grounded.

In contrast to Mikheev’s estimate of the number of Russian-made helicopters in Afghanistan, a July report from the US special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (Sigar) stated that the Afghan forces possessed 56 Mi-17 helicopters, of which only 32 were operational and in the country.

It is unknown how many of those helicopters are currently operational, since the US drawdown of its military troops and the Taliban onslaught have taken their toll on the Afghan air force’s preparedness.

Earlier last month, videos emerged of Taliban gunmen flying in a Mi-17. However, there is no evidence that the Taliban is using the helicopters in military operations.

The United States began purchasing Mi-17 helicopters in 2005, purchasing at least 50 from the Russian state exporter before plans to purchase a further 30 helicopters were defeated in Congress in 2013.

“As soon as the service staff stop working, the equipment ceases to fly in accordance with Russian standards,” Mikheev explained.

As the Taliban pressed in on Kabul, hundreds of Afghan pilots escaped across the border into Uzbekistan with their military planes. According to an official statement from Uzbekistan, 46 Afghan aircraft, including 24 helicopters, were forced to land in the central Asian country.

According to satellite images of the aircraft, 19 look to be Mi-17s and nine appear to be Black Hawks.