The German news agency (dpa) quoted Ukrainian media as saying that the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ukrainian Security Service are investigating why the plane could not be secured in time, despite the warnings.
According to Ukrainian media sources, what happened is considered official misconduct and even cooperation with a foreign military power. No information was provided as to who was at fault.
The Antonov An-225, the world’s heaviest cargo plane, was parked at Hostomil Airport, located northwest of the Ukrainian capital. The plane’s chief pilot, Dmitro Antonov, said the crew had intended to evacuate the plane on February 24, in the dramatic early hours of the morning, when the Russian attack began. The engines were turned on, but no take-off command was given.
The fighting around Hostomil continued for several days, until the Ukrainian forces were crushed by the attacking Russian paratroopers. The plane was destroyed on February 27.
Since the plane could not be saved, at the end of March, the CEO of the state-owned aircraft manufacturer Antonov, Serhiy Bychskov, was fired.
The unique cargo plane was a guest at many airports around the world. The wingspan was 88.4 meters, and the maximum take-off weight was 640 tons. For comparison: a fully loaded American Boeing 747, dubbed the Jumbo Jet, is one of the most famous wide-body aircraft in the world, with a maximum take-off weight of 447 tons.
Cover photo: Dylan Agbagni / Wikimedia Commons
