On September 6, 2024, the transfer of all six Ka-32A11BC helicopters belonging to Portugal to Ukraine was completed. The last helicopter was loaded onto a trailer for transportation, as reported in the published photos. The helicopters are in a faulty condition and Portugal has decided to transfer them to Ukraine without any repairs.

The six helicopters were purchased by the Portuguese government from Russia in 2007 for firefighting missions. They were initially operated by state-owned airline EMA (Empresa de Meios Aereos), but were contracted out to private company Everjets in 2015. The company lost its license in 2020, leading to the aircraft being phased out.

One of the helicopters crashed in 2012 and has been beyond repair since then. The remaining five helicopters were decommissioned in 2018 and laid up. Due to sanctions imposed on Russia, Portugal could no longer maintain and operate them, which was the main reason for their transfer. In early 2022, the helicopters were transferred to the Portuguese Air Force, but their further use was deemed impossible.

The Portuguese government announced its intention to transfer the helicopters to Ukraine back in October 2022, but the actual transfer took almost two years. The helicopters were transferred in a faulty condition, and Ukraine will now face the task of restoring these machines.

The Ka-32A11BC is a multi-role helicopter developed in Russia based on the civilian version of the Ka-32. It is designed to perform various tasks, including firefighting, rescue operations and cargo transportation.