When a new wave of massive wildfires broke out in Greece, the request for additional air assets came urgently. The call reached the Ukrainian aviation company H3Operations — and at that moment, its Mi-8MTV-1 was stationed in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, over five thousand kilometers away from its destination.
A Route Not in the Plan
The usual corridor from East Africa to Europe — through the Middle East and Egypt — was partially closed at the time of the mission or marked as a high-risk zone due to the escalating security situation in the region. The crew and ground team had to revise the route in a tight timeframe.
«The security situation in the Middle East added special complexity to this redeployment — a number of air routes became unavailable or fell into high-risk zones. Our specialists had to quickly revise the route, agree on new permits, and plan a bypass of dangerous areas».
— H3Operations, official statement
The route from Juba to Greece passed through several jurisdictions: each required permit documentation, technical support, and coordination of ground services. The helicopter arrived on time and was ready for operational use from day one.
What is H3Operations and Why Greece Turned to Them
H3Operations is a Ukrainian company specializing in specialized aviation services in challenging conditions: humanitarian missions, transport support, search and rescue operations. Its main fleet consists of Mi-8/17 type helicopters, which the company operates in various regions of the world, including African countries. The company's director Vladislav Klipachenko described such a redeployment as «a complex logistics project where there is no room for error».
Greece is systematically expanding its aviation firefighting fleet in parallel: in April 2025, the country signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for eight H215 aircraft as part of the «Aegis» program — but these helicopters are not yet in service. Therefore, at the peak of the fire season, Athens still depends on the operational involvement of external operators.
Broader Context: Ukraine in the Global Aviation Niche
- Ukrainian aviation operators continue to win international contracts in segments where reliability and experience in difficult conditions are critical.
- The Mi-8MTV-1 — a version with more powerful TV3-117VM engines, designed for operation in hot and high-altitude conditions, making it particularly suitable for firefighting.
- For H3Operations, this mission is not an exception: the company already has experience working in Africa, where logistical unpredictability is the norm.
Greece's fire season in 2025 is not yet over, and demand for air resources will persist at least until September. The question is not whether more such emergency deployments will be needed, but whether Greece will have time and budget to conclude long-term contracts with proven operators before its own Airbus H215 fleet is ready for operation.
