A new step in the investigation of the destruction of the iconic Ukrainian Antonov Aircraft, the largest in the world, has led to the arrest of the former director and manager of the Ukrainian state aviation company, the Security Service of Ukraine told Euroamaidan Press. Both are accused of “obstructing the legal activities” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces before the Russian invasion and of failing to prepare the hostmel airport for the defense at the beginning of 2022 before what was coming. According to the authorities, this led to the destruction of the world’s largest aircraft An-225 Mriya and other aircraft owned by the Antonov company.
Former director Serhiy Bychkov, former deputy director Mykhailo Kharchenko and former aviation security chief Oleksandr Netiosov have reportedly been charged, with two of them already arrested. However, prosecutors did not publicly release the names, only the charges against the suspects.
On March 29, 2022, Buchkov was removed from his post in connection with the information published in the media that the management of the Antonov State Enterprise did not take appropriate measures to save the An-225 Mriya aircraft in the eve of a full-scale Russian invasion.
The Security Service of Ukraine also says that in January-February 2022, officials of the state-owned Antonov company who also managed the hostomel airfield near Kyiv they directly prohibited the Ukrainian army from building defensive fortifications at the airport.
The plane was burnt out after an attack on Hostomel airport and its repair could cost about 2,670 million euros and it would take more than five years, according to the Ukrainian state concern Ukroboronprom.
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