From the An-225 to the Ka-52: 5 Aircraft Lost in the Ukraine War

Only a few hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a “special military operation” in Ukraine, the Russian Airborne Forces launched an airstrike on Hostomel Airport on February 24, 2022. The airport was home to the lone Antonov An-225 Mriya, the largest aircraft ever built. The Hostomel Airport, also known as the Antonov Airport, is a large international cargo airport situated in the town of Hostomel, just outside of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. 

The only Antonov An-225 Mriya was destroyed on the ground at Hostomel Airport on that day. During the battle for Hostomel, many other aircraft were destroyed, such as the Antonov An-22, Antonov An-26, Antonov An-28, Antonov An-74, and Antonov An-128, amongst others. 

Multiple towns in Ukraine have been plundered in the war with casualties as high as half a million. The UN is quoted to have said that Ukraine was unsafe due to a high number of casualties outside the battleground:

“Nearly half of civilian casualties in the last three months have occurred far away from the frontlines. As a result, no place in Ukraine is completely safe.”

According to recent World Bank estimates, the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine has now grown to $411 billion, which is more than 2 times the size of Ukraine’s pre-war economy in 2021. The economy, energy, food markets, aviation, and all other sectors have been severely impacted by Russia’s unlawful and aggressive war against Ukraine. 

Almost two years ago, more than 30 nations including countries in the EU, and other nations such as the UK, and the US, have barred Russian airlines from using their airspace. Airlines from the majority of those nations are no longer permitted to enter or fly over Russia. Additionally, several airlines from nations that were not immediately impacted by the permissions have temporarily lowered their flights to/from Russia. In response to these sanctions, Russia filed a complaint to the ICAO.

The aviation community has seen some of its most beautiful aircraft trampled by the war. Let’s take a look at 5 of the most beautiful of these: 

The most beautiful aircraft destroyed during the Ukraine-Russia war

Antonov An-225

The Antonov An-225 was one of the largest, heaviest, and iconic aircraft ever built. The Antonov 225 was originally designed to transport the Soviet Union’s Buran space shuttle and other heavy cargo. The An-225 was 84 meters (275.6 feet) in length and 88.4 meters (290 feet) in width. It could carry a payload of up to 250 metric tons (551,155 pounds) and had a maximum takeoff weight of 640 metric tons (1.41 million pounds). 

Six turbofan engines ran the airplane. It had a total thrust of 309,600 pounds, with each engine producing about 51,600 pounds. The unique features of the Antonov 225 were distinct in appearance- not least because of its double-deck design and the presence of a forward cargo door on the nose of the aircraft. The latter of these features allows for the loading and unloading of cargo directly into the front section of the cargo hold. 

During an airstrike by the Russian Airborne Forces on Hostomel Airport on February 24, 2022, the An-225, along with several Antonov-owned facilities around the airport, was destroyed. 

MiG-29 fighter jet

Supersonic jet fighters like the MiG-29 were first created in the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, it was created to combat with and show ascendency over, western aircraft like the American F-16, and F/A-18. The MiG-29 has a blended wing-body structure, dual engines, and twin tails giving it excellent maneuverability. 

During Russia Russia-Ukrainian War, more than 25 MiG-29 were destroyed/damaged several times. On 24 February 2022, five Ukrainian MiG-29s from the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, piloted by Lt. Colonel Yerko Viacheslav Volodymyrivych, Roman Pasulko, Volodymyr Kokhanskyi, Lt. Colonel Eduard Vahorovskyi and Viaseslav Radionov were lost. On the same day, during Russian missile strikes against Starokostiantyniv Air Base, approximately 6 retired MiG-29 fighter jets were damaged. Close to a year ago on 13 February 2023, a Ukrainian MiG-29 was shot down while intercepting a Shaeid-136 loitering with ammunition in the area of Pisochanka, Vinnyytsia Oblast. 

Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet

The Su-27 is a twin-engine air superiority fighter jet developed by the Soviet Union’s Sukhoi Design Bureau. It is designed for long-range capabilities and impressive performance in air combat. It features a double-delta wing configuration, canard foreplanes, and an elegant, aerodynamic design. Excellent mobility is provided by the wings’ forward sweep, particularly at high angles of attack. The Su-27 has modern radar and avionics equipment that give it superior situational awareness and targeting capability.

Approximately 8 Su-27s were destroyed or damaged multiple times during the Russia-Ukraine war. On the first day of war 24 February 2022, seven Ukrainian pilots and service members were killed by Russian airstrikes on Ozerne Air Base in Zhytomyr Oblast, which also damaged a Su-27 and destroyed one. On the second day, a Su-27 was shot down over Kyiv on Friday night by the Russian S-400 air defense system. The crash damaged a residential complex and took the life of the pilot, Colonel Oksanchenko died. The last Su-27 was destroyed on 28 March 2023 while intercepting a Russian loitering ammunition Shahed-136 drone near Myrhorod, Poltava. Major Denis Kirilyuk was the pilot of that plane and he also died.

Mil Mi-24 Helicopter

In addition to planes and fighter jets, many helicopters were also destroyed in the Russia–Ukraine conflict- Mil Mi-24 being one of them. It is manufactured by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and has a design based on the Mil Mi-8, with two top-mounted turboshaft engines powering a 17.3 m, five-blade main rotor positioned in the middle and a three-blade tail rotor mounted at the back. The aircraft’s unusual double air inlet was a result of the engine setup. 

The Ukrainian army had around 35 Mil Mi-24 Hind Gunships when Russia’s assault on Ukraine began a couple of years ago. There were also some reports that Poland secretly handed a dozen Mi-24s to Ukraine last year. Approximately 7 Mi-24 helicopters of the Russian Air Force and 6 Mi-24 helicopters of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed during the conflict.

On March 05, 2022, a Mi-24 flying about 25 miles north of Kyiv was shot down by a Stinger MANPADS (man-portable air defense system) that resulted in a fireball as it crashed to the ground. Various Ukrainian military sources trumpeted the video. March 8, 2022, the first Mi-24 model helicopter was lost over Brovary, Kyiv Oblast. Pilots Colonel Oleksandr Maryniak and Cpt. Ivan Bezzud was killed.

Ka-52 attack helicopter

Ka-52: the most popular attack helicopter in the Russian Air Force: was designed by a Russian helicopter company Kamov Design Bureau. It is known as the “Alligator” and is made for a variety of combat tasks, including surveillance, ground assault, and anti-tank warfare. It was dubbed as “Putin’s vulture” and was also dubbed as “the world’s best gunship” by Kyiv Post which reported that 40 of these had been downed in the war. The post also reported that Russia had already lost 100 choppers in the war. 

Its adaptability, firepower, and durable build make the alligator adaptable in a variety of scenarios, as a result of which these were employed heavily by Russia during the war. On the first day of the war, 2 Ka-52 attack helicopters were damaged by MANPADS (man-portable air defense system) fire during the battle of Antonov Airport. The first one landed safely near the airport and was later willingly destroyed by the Russian Armed Forces.

 The second one was discovered abandoned on 2 March near Babyntsi in Bucha Raion. It was later stripped of valuable parts and destroyed on the ground by Russian forces. On 4 December 2022, a Ka-52 was shot down by the Ukrainian Dnieper anti-aircraft missile brigade, killing both pilots. As recently as February 2024, Ukraine obliterated a Russian Ka-52 in Avdaiivka.