The majority of An-8s built served in the Soviet Air Forces, with two An-8s being used to land special forces to seize Plzeň airport during the Invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Others were used as electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and one aircraft was used for air sampling following Chinese nuclear testing in 1966. They continued in large-scale use on frontline military duties in the Soviet Air Force until the 1970s, when many were later transferred to Aeroflot for use as freighters. Following a series of accidents in the early 1990s, the An-8 was withdrawn from use in Russia. This did not mean the end of the An-8, however, as a number were sold overseas with a few aircraft observed flying in the Middle East, and until recently, in Africa, (particularly Liberia), DR Congo and Angola, (especially airlines associated with the Russian businessman and convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout), despite Antonov having withdrawn the airworthiness certificate and support for the type in 2004, ending legal use of the aircraft.