On April 5th, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) reported that the former general director of the Antonov State Enterprise was charged with official negligence leading to the destruction of the Antonov An-225 Mriya.
The Mriya is not forgotten in Ukraine
The aircraft was destroyed in the early hours of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last March at Hostomel Airport. The charges are based on new evidence prepared by the SBU together with investigators from the Ukraine National Police.
The new evidence points to the former general director of Antonov, Serhii Bychkov, failing to order the aircraft to leave the airport before the attack and not having the An-225 correctly insured.
Given the sensitive nature of this event and the emotions attached to it, and for complete accuracy, I will quote from the SBU statement issued on Thursday.
"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 an appropriate instruction regarding the evacuation of Mriya abroad."
"Such criminal actions of the official led to the destruction of the Ukrainian transport plane."
The SBU report does not name Bychkov but refers to him only as the general director or official. The Kyiv Independent, Ukraine's English-language media outlet, names him and also reports Bychkov is being held without bail, adding details of an earlier charge.
His problems run deeper than the An-225
In March, Bychkov and other company officials were also suspected of impeding the Ukrainian military from securing the airport before the attack. The SBU puts that officially this way:
"We will remind that earlier the investigators of the Security Service informed the suspect and his accomplices of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces and other military formations during a special period, which led to the death of people and other serious consequences.)"
The news outlet also said that the Hostomel Airport had sufficient fuel for the flight to Germany and the crew was ready for departure, but the order did not come "despite the warnings of state authorities." It also alleges that Bychkov "had knowledge of the insurance coverage's termination."
The SBU statement, published in Ukrainian, said that the loss of the aircraft cost the state more than UAH 8.4 billion ($227.8 million). It adds that the state-owned enterprise lost more than UAH 42 million ($1.14 million) in compensatory insurance payments. The key paragraph in the SBU statement reads:
"On the basis of the collected evidence, the former general director of the company was notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (official negligence that caused serious consequences)."
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The prospect of a speedy trial seems remote as the statement says that comprehensive measures are underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the culprits to justice. The investigation is being conducted by the security service employees together with the National Police.
Do you think another Antonov An-225 will ever be built? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Ukraine Security Service, Kyiv Independent