Direct proof of use
The Mi-24/Mi-35 family appears in the Syrian Civil War record through both Syrian and Russian government-side aviation. The Aviationist reported in June 2012 that video from Rastan and Farkia marked Syrian Mil Mi-24 Hind-D/Mi-25 gunship involvement, describing the type as a more maneuverable and powerful attack helicopter than the Mi-8/17 helicopters previously seen in the war.
Russian use is documented in more detail after Moscow's 2015 intervention. RAND's study of the Russian air campaign says the initial Russian rotary-wing force in Syria included twelve Mi-24P Hind-F attack helicopters and that Russian attack helicopters later performed close air support in counter-ISIS operations in Hama and Homs. The same report says Russia deployed Mi-35M attack helicopters in early December 2015 and forward-based Mi-24/35 detachments at al-Shayrat and Tiyas to support Syrian government ground operations.
Sources: The Aviationist Mi-24 Syria Debut, RAND Russian Air Campaign in Syria
Timeline
The public record starts with Syrian government Mi-24/Mi-25 gunship footage in June 2012, before Russia's intervention added a separate Russian Aerospace Forces layer. Russian Mi-24P helicopters arrived with the first deployed rotary-wing package in September 2015, while Mi-35M helicopters were added in December 2015 as the counter-ISIS and forward-basing mission expanded.
The clearest dated combat-loss incident in the source set occurred near Palmyra in July 2016. The Aviationist reported that a Russian Mi-35M was shot down east of Palmyra while flying with an Mi-24P in support of loyalist forces; FDD's Long War Journal separately reported that Russia conceded two pilots were killed after Islamic State media posted video of the helicopter attack.
Sources: The Aviationist Mi-24 Syria Debut, RAND Russian Air Campaign in Syria, The Aviationist Palmyra Mi-35M Shootdown, Long War Journal Palmyra Helicopter
Battlefield role
In Syrian government service, the Hind family functioned as an armed helicopter gunship during the war's escalation from ground fighting into air attacks. The June 2012 evidence supports use of Mi-24/Mi-25 aircraft in attacks on rebel-held or rebel-contested areas, but it does not provide a complete sortie log or reliable fleet count.
In Russian service, the role broadened into close air support, combat search-and-rescue coverage, base protection, and armed support for Syrian government ground operations. RAND describes temporary and then enduring forward rotary-wing basing at Hama, al-Shayrat, and Tiyas, with Mi-24/35 detachments used to improve responsiveness and time on station for close-air-support and rescue missions.
Sources: The Aviationist Mi-24 Syria Debut, RAND Russian Air Campaign in Syria
Evidence limits
The sources support government-side operation of Mi-24/Mi-35 family helicopters in the Syrian Civil War and directly document Russian Mi-24P and Mi-35M use after 2015. They do not support a single unified operator claim: Syrian Air Force Mi-24/Mi-25 use and Russian Aerospace Forces Mi-24P/Mi-35M use are separate, though both fall under the catalog side of Syrian government and allies.
The July 2016 Palmyra loss is useful as direct evidence of operational use, but public accounts differ on designation language, with reporting describing the aircraft as a Russian Mi-35M or referring to a Syrian Mi-25 in Russian ministry accounts. This record treats it as Hind-family use while keeping the variant wording tied to each source.
Sources: The Aviationist Palmyra Mi-35M Shootdown, Long War Journal Palmyra Helicopter, RAND Russian Air Campaign in Syria
