Russia Delivers More Attack Helicopters to Iraq for Fight Against IS

By The Moscow Times

Feb. 2, 2015

Mi-28 helicopters flying in the sky above the Moscow region. Maxim Stulov / Vedomosti

Russia has delivered four attack helicopters to the Iraqi air force to assist in Baghdad's struggle against Islamic State militants, the Interfax news agency reported citing a Russian military source.

The Mi-28 Night Hunters were delivered on Sunday, the source said, as part of a 2012 agreement for the supply of 40 Mi-28 and Mi-40 military helicopters. The $4.2 billion contract also covers the delivery of 42 anti-aircraft systems.

Russia has been ramping up support for the Iraqi government in its struggle to contain Islamic State, which has conquered large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

The Mi-28s began arriving in Iraq in January last year. The last delivery took place in September.

In July, Russia delivered five Su-24 ground attack aircraft worth an estimated $500 million to help in the fight, according to the BBC.

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