The airport was attacked on the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but the Russian forces underestimated the strength of Ukrainian resistance and failed to capture the airport, which would have created an airbridge to seize Kyiv and topple the government.
In the battle, the airport was left too badly damaged to use as an airstrip and facilities and aircraft, including the Antonov AN-225, were destroyed.
On social media, Antonov Company has posted updates confirming that several aircraft were destroyed and others damaged.
The AN-225 was destroyed along with an AN-26 and an AN-74, and so was the control tower and administration building.
Hangars suffered damaged and so did an AN-12, an AN-22, an AN-28, an AN-132D and an AN-124-100-150.
In a Facebook post on 3 April, Antonov Company said: “There is a lot of work to restore the infrastructure of the airport and the air fleet of the Antonov Company ahead.”
On Twitter, Antonov Airlines confirmed that AN-124-100s had been relocated to Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, and they will continue to operate charter missions including carrying aid for Ukraine.