Motor Sich Company Profile, Engines, Ownership and Role in Ukraine’s War
Motor Sich is Ukraine’s largest aircraft engine maker, a Zaporizhzhia company that has built turboprop, turbofan and helicopter engines for decades and once employed roughly 20,000 people. Its engines power the L-39 trainer, the An-124 heavy lifter and Mi-8 family helicopters, and since 2022 the company has been pulled between wartime dispersal, state control and a new role supplying Ukrainian and Turkish drone programs.
What is Motor Sich
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine |
| Sector | Gas-turbine engines for aircraft and helicopters, plus industrial turbines |
| Origins | A plant established around 1907; the modern company grew from the Soviet-era Zaporizhzhia engine works |
| Workforce | Roughly 20,000 before 2022, per press reporting; current numbers are not published |
| Design partner | Ivchenko-Progress, the Zaporizhzhia design bureau that created most of the engines Motor Sich builds |
| Status | Placed under Ukrainian state control in wartime proceedings |
Motor Sich sits in a small club. Only a handful of countries can design and produce military turbine engines, and Ukraine inherited one of the Soviet Union’s main engine clusters. The design bureau Ivchenko-Progress writes the blueprints, while Motor Sich builds, overhauls and services the engines in volume. Together they are a strategic asset that Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Ankara have all tried to influence. The state holding that now groups many Ukrainian arms firms is covered in our Ukroboronprom profile.
What engines does Motor Sich make
| Engine | Type | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|
| AI-25TL | Turbofan | L-39 Albatros jet trainers and light attack variants |
| AI-222-25 | Turbofan | Yak-130 and L-15 advanced trainers |
| D-18T | Large turbofan (Ivchenko-Progress design) | An-124 Ruslan and the destroyed An-225 Mriya |
| D-36 | Turbofan | An-72 and An-74 transports, Yak-42 airliners |
| TV3-117 family | Turboshaft | Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-24 and Ka-27 helicopters |
| AI-450 and MS-500V | Small turboprop and turboshaft | Light helicopters, trainers and uncrewed aircraft |
The engines matter because they are everywhere in legacy fleets. Dozens of air forces still fly L-39s, and the Soviet-designed helicopter engines keep Mi-8 fleets operating across Africa, Asia and Europe. A manufacturer with that installed base earns steady overhaul revenue, which is why the firm has long been as much a service business as a factory. Czech trainer maker Aero Vodochody builds the modern L-39 line on the same legacy.
Who owns Motor Sich
For decades the company was controlled by longtime chairman Vyacheslav Boguslayev and associated shareholders. That ownership became a security story after 2017, when a group linked to the Chinese firm Skyrizon sought a majority stake. Kyiv, Washington and Ukrainian courts raised concerns about technology transfer, the deal stalled, and Ukrainian authorities and the United States imposed sanctions on the Chinese investor group in early 2021.
After the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainian authorities moved against the old ownership structure. Boguslayev was detained on allegations of collaborating with Russia, which his defenders disputed, and the state took control of the company under wartime legislation. The legal details continue to evolve, so treat any claim about final ownership percentages with caution.
Motor Sich and Russia
Before 2014, Russia was Motor Sich’s biggest single customer, taking engines and overhauls for its helicopter fleet. The annexation of Crimea and war in Donbas broke that link, and Ukraine restricted military exports to Russia. Russia responded by building its own engine capacity, notably through the Klimov plant in St. Petersburg, for the TV3-117 and related types. The shift cost Motor Sich its largest customer and forced it to look to Asia, the Middle East and Turkey for work.
Motor Sich in the war and drone programs
Zaporizhzhia has been within reach of Russian missiles and drones since 2022, and the company reportedly dispersed some work to reduce the risk of one strike disabling production. The plant and its city have been hit several times, according to Ukrainian officials. Russian claims of strikes on engine plants are unverified, so any damage figures should be treated with care.
The most visible new market is uncrewed aircraft. Turkey’s Baykar has reported using Ukrainian-made engines in its Akinci and Kizilelma programs, and it has announced a plant in Ukraine for engine work involving Ukrainian partners. Motor Sich engines are also reported in some Ukrainian long-range drone and cruise missile projects. For background on the market, see our list of the top military drone manufacturers.
Motor Sich outlook
The company’s future depends on three variables. The first is security: a production site that close to the front needs air defense and dispersal. The second is demand, where Ukrainian drones, trainers and cruise missiles offer more growth than the old Russian helicopter market. The third is legitimacy with Western and Turkish partners, which a clean ownership structure would help secure. If those fall into place, Motor Sich could be rebuilt as a wartime-tested engine supplier for NATO-compatible uncrewed aircraft.
Motor Sich frequently asked questions
What does Motor Sich make?
Turbofan, turboprop and turboshaft engines for trainers, transports and helicopters, plus auxiliary power units and industrial gas turbines.
Where is Motor Sich located?
Zaporizhzhia, in southeastern Ukraine, which has been exposed to Russian attacks since 2022.
Who owns Motor Sich now?
The Ukrainian state took control under wartime proceedings. The legal process has been complicated, and details are still changing.
Does Motor Sich still sell to Russia?
No. Ukraine restricted military trade with Russia after 2014, and all cooperation ended with the 2022 invasion.
Are Motor Sich engines used in Turkish drones?
Baykar has reported using Ukrainian-made engines in some programs, including the Akinci and Kizilelma, though supply arrangements are not fully public.
- Public company and Ivchenko-Progress product literature
- Wikipedia – Motor Sich (accessed October 2026)
- Ukrainian and Turkish press coverage of Motor Sich ownership and engine programs
- Defence & Tech reporting
