Antonov Airlines freighters stranded at Hostomel Airport amid Russian invasion of Ukraine

At least six Antonov Airlines freighters were at Hostomel Airport (GML) — home to Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov — north of Kyiv, Ukraine, with at least one destroyed and several others damaged following heavy fighting there on the first day of what the Russian Federation has declared “a special military operation.” The Antonov Airlines aircraft at GML include the An-225 (19530503763) , two An-124s (9773054359139 and 19530501008), an An-178 (001), an An-26 ( 2605 ), an An-74 (36547030450) and an An-28 (1AJ004-02). [caption id="attachment_415062" align="alignright" width="560"] Hostomel Airport was briefly controlled by Russian paratroopers Feb. 24. (Photo/Antonov Airlines)[/caption] Additionally, a Meridian An-12 (402410) arrived at Kyiv Boryspil Airport (KBP) on Feb. 23 and had not departed before the first of the bombardments. The sole An-225 was reportedly damaged during the fighting but the extent of the damage is unclear. A call to Antonov’s press department was disconnected before the extent of the damage could be understood. Shortly after the beginning of military operations, Ukrainian, Belarusian and western Russian airspace was closed to civil aircraft. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) declared all altitudes of Ukrainian airspace as “high risk.” The majority of airports were targeted by Russian cruise missiles and damaged in the early hours of the invasion in an effort to eliminate air defenses around the country. Russian VDV air assault force paratroopers were deployed behind Ukrainian defensive lines to GML on MI-8 helicopters, capturing the airport before 1 p.m. local time. Images of the Russian attack on the airport show a smaller freighter, likely an An-74, destroyed on the ground. Antonov Airlines Capt. Dmytro Antonov reported on social media that the An-225 was not damaged during the Russian occupation of the airport. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the airport had been captured, and vowed to reclaim it shortly before Ukrainian ground forces recaptured the airport after low-level bombardment and close air support by Ukrainian SU-24 fighter bombers. A few Antonov Airlines freighters were not in Kyiv today, including five An-124s (19530501005, 19530501006, 19530502288, 19530502630 and 9773053359136). In response to the invasion, the U.K Department of Transport declared that “No aircraft on a scheduled service which is owned, chartered or operated by a person connected with Russia, or which is registered in Russia shall fly in United Kingdom airspace.” Learn more about Cargo Facts EMEA and register for the event.

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