Report: Antonov Official Fired after Destruction of World’s Largest Cargo Airplane

The general director of Antonov—the Ukrainian company that owned the recently destroyed An-225 Mriya—has apparently been fired, according to a statement posted by state-owned defense manufacturer, Ukroboronprom.

Thom Patterson

Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 04:08 PM ET

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For more than three decades the An-225 Mriya reigned as the largest airplane in the world. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Antonov's general director, Serhiy Bychkov, has been removed from his position following the destruction of the An-225 Mriya.
The dismissal is linked to an official investigation into media reports, specifically allegations that Antonov received prior warnings from NATO about the Russian invasion and was advised to move the Mriya, but failed to do so as the aircraft needed repairs.
The An-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo plane and a symbol of Ukraine, was destroyed in February during fighting at Gostomel Airport where it was based.

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The one-of-a-kind Antonov An-225 was destroyed in February during intense fighting between Ukrainians and invading Russian forces north of Kyiv at Gostomel Airport (UKKM), where the world’s largest cargo airplane was based.