Russia loses 200 elite specialists in airfield seizure in battle for Hostomel airport, near Kyiv – intelligence

This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate's press service, citing the words of an unnamed commander of a special forces unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate, an intelligence officer who took part in the battle for Kyiv.  

He recalled that the Russian forces wanted to land in Hostomel and seize the Antonov airfield. The invaders planned to use it to quickly transfer equipment and manpower by air to further occupy Kyiv. 

"It seems that the Russian forces thought they would repeat the scenario of seizing the airfield, as during the Kosovo offensive on June 12, 1999. They thought that in Hostomel they would repeat the scenario of seizing the airfield, as during the events in Kazakhstan in early January 2022. They were so overconfident, not realizing that they were dealing with Ukrainians," the intelligence officer said. 

According to him, Ukrainian Special Forces and other units of the Defense Forces sought to destroy as many Russian enemy forces as possible and prevent the capture of the airfield.

"In the battles for the Antonov airfield, the aggressor state lost about 200 elite combat specialists in the capture of airfields and airports, who had been participating in military exercises of this type for decades," the special forces officer summarized.