Destruction of AN-225 Mriya: Former CEO of Antonov aircraft manufacturer suspected of criminal negligence

This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine.

The investigation found that the former director of Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft manufacturer, despite warnings from state authorities and knowing for certain that insurance coverage for the aircraft had been terminated, failed to ensure the relocation of the Mriya aircraft to a safe place.

During the attack by Russian troops on the airport in the town of Hostomel, near Kyiv, the world's largest An-225 aircraft was burned down. The damage exceeded UAH 8.4 billion.

"On the eve of Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the AN-225 Mriya aircraft was technically sound, there was a sufficient amount of jet fuel at the airfield to complete the flight, and the crew was ready to take off," the press service writes, adding that there was every opportunity to evacuate the aircraft to the airport in Leipzig, Germany.

However, former Antonov CEO Bychkov did not give the appropriate order and ignored the reports and suggestions of his subordinates.

The offender has now been served with a notice of suspicion of negligence.

Investigators are checking information about the possibility of evacuating six more aircraft, including the An-124 Ruslan, which were also at the airport at the time.

Reference. The An-225 Mriya, meaning ‘dream’ in Ukrainian, is an aviation giant that holds records for carrying the largest commercial cargo and the longest and heaviest single-piece cargo in aviation history.

On February 24-27, 2022, fierce fighting took place for the airport in Hostomel, with Russia attempting to land troops and take control of the airport.

• In February, during the Russian offensive on Kyiv, the world’s largest Mriya aircraft was destroyed.

• In April, Antonov spokeswoman Larysa Drozdova told Espreso that Mriya could not take to the sky because of the threat of losing the crew.

• Antonov CEO Serhiy Bychkov was suspended from his post on March 29, 2022. An investigation has been ongoing since then.

• In October 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine found out the circumstances of the destruction of the AN-225 Mriya aircraft, including why the management of Antonov failed to take the necessary measures to save it.  

• On March 9, 2023, law enforcement officers detained former Antonov CEO Bychkov and security chief Netiosov for obstructing the preparation of the defense of the airfield in Hostomel – the court arrested them for two months. They were ordered to be held in custody for 60 days without bail. At the same time, nine searches were conducted at the suspects' places of residence and work.