The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared the suspicion to Russian General Anatolii Kontsevyi, who ordered the destruction of the worldʼs largest aircraft, the Ukrainian AN-225 "Mriia".
According to the investigation, Kontsevyi serves as the deputy commander of the airborne forces of the Russian Armed Forces. At the beginning of the full-scale war, he used special forces units of the airborne forces and army aviation to storm the Gostomel airfield.
The Security Service of Ukraine also established that a Russian general organized the training of paratroopers in Russia and Belarus in 2019 to destroy and capture strategic ground targets in Ukraine.
Anatolii Kontsevyi faces up to 15 years in prison for encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, planning and waging war based on a prior conspiracy (part 3 of article 110, part 2 of article 28 and part 2 of article 437 of the Criminal Code).
Anatoly Kontsevoi
- An-225 aircraft was destroyed during enemy fire in Hostomel. On March 19, the former captain of the "Mriia" plane Dmytro Antonov said that the An-225 could have been saved from enemy fire in Hostomel, but the plane was destroyed by the irresponsibility of the management, including Serhiy Bychkov. He was not evacuated, although there was an opportunity. Already on March 24, "Antonov" opened an account to collect funds for the restoration of "Mriia".
- The Security Service of Ukraine established that the officials of the state-owned enterprise "Antonov", despite the warnings of the state authorities, did not protect the An-225 "Mriia" aircraft from destruction during the invasion of Russia.
- On March 29, "Ukroboronprom" removed Serhiy Bychkov from the position of general director of the state enterprise "Antonov" based on the results of an official investigation after checking individual facts.
- On March 10, 2023, the SBU notified the ex-director of Antonov Serhii Bychkov, security chief Oleksandr Netyosov, and director Mykhailo Kharchenko of suspicion for obstructing the preparation of the airfield defense in Hostomel. Later, the former director of "Antonov" Serhiy Bychkov was informed of another suspicion — due to the officialʼs negligence, the Russian occupiers destroyed the An-225 "Mriia" aircraft.