On 5th April, the Antonov State Enterprise’s ex-general director was charged with official negligence resulting in the destruction of the Antonov An-225 Mriya, as reported by Ukraine’s Security Service.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last March at Hostomel Airport, the aircraft, Antonov An-225 Mriya, was destroyed in the early hours. Recently, the Ukraine National Police and Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) collaborated to compile fresh evidence.
According to this evidence, Serhii Bychkov, the former general director of Antonov, neglected his official duties by not instructing the aircraft to evacuate the airport before the attack and by not obtaining adequate insurance for the An-225. These actions have led to the SBU charging Bychkov with official negligence.
“During the investigation, it was established that at the beginning of last year, the head of the state-owned enterprise had to organise the timely evacuation of the aircraft from the Gostomel airfield. To ensure the protection of the plane, it had to be transported to the airport in the city of Leipzig in Germany.
“According to the investigation, on the eve of the full-scale invasion, the An-225 was in proper technical condition, which allowed it to fly outside Ukraine. Instead, the general director of the company did not give appropriate instruction regarding the evacuation of Mriya abroad.”
“Such criminal actions of the official led to the destruction of the Ukrainian transport plane.”