Antonov Cargo Plane Spotted Flying Over Kyiv 1st Time Since 2022

An Antonov An-124 “Ruslan” cargo plane was seen flying over Kyiv on Friday – marking one of the first civilian jets seen flying over the Ukrainian airspace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. 

At present, only military and governmental flights – including police helicopters – are permitted, with heavy restrictions. 

In videos shared by locals in Kyiv, some could be seen surprised by the spectacle, with one questioning, “Is that an airplane?”

AeroTime, which reported the flight, said the plane is registered UR‑82073 and operated under flight number ADB9154. It said the plane eventually landed in Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, to which the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer and operator Antonov relocated its operations hub. 

Russian forces destroyed Antonov’s Hostomel airport – as well as the world’s largest plane, the Antonov An-225 Mriya – in the initial days of the 2022 invasion outside Kyiv. 

Dmytro Antonov, Mriya’s commander, told Kyiv Post in March 2024 that Antonov’s management could have flown the plane to other airports for safety before the invasion but chose not to do so, alleging that they “really wanted to help those who wanted to take Kyiv in three days.”

AeroTime said the An-124 seen on Friday likely escaped the fate of the Mriya as it was stationed at the Sviatoshyn Airfield, home to the Antonov Serial Production Plant, for maintenance at the time of the Hostomel attack. 

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It might now join Antonov’s fleet in Leipzig to carry out logistics and strategic airlift missions, the publication said. 

Antonov has not issued a public statement on the flight. 

Julian Röpcke, senior editor at BILD, called the flight “a strong sign of resistance to Putin’s fantasies of annihilating Ukraine.”

“Today, the first civilian aircraft in 40 months was filmed over Kyiv. It is a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 transport aircraft,” Röpcke added in his X update. 

Battle of Hostomel

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian airborne troops attempted to capture the Hostomel airport located in the suburbs of Kyiv, which led to weeks of fierce fighting.

Over the next month, control of the airport exchanged hands between Ukrainian and Russian troops multiple times, where the latter destroyed the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the biggest cargo plane in the world and the only of its kind, whose name means “dream” in Ukrainian.

The failure of Moscow’s troops to secure the airfield as a bridgehead to bring in reinforcements ultimately led to the failure of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s plan to seize the capital and to decapitate Ukraine’s government.

The An-225 Mriya made its maiden flight on Dec. 21, 1988, and held several records – including the heaviest aircraft ever built and the largest wingspan of any working aircraft. Typically, it was used to carry very large things, including diesel locomotives, wind turbines, and spacecraft.

In April 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mriya delivered 103 tons of medical supplies from China to help Ukraine fight the virus.