Read also: SBU charges former head of Antonov over destruction of An-225 in Hostomel

According to Bild’s information, the Ukrainian plane was supposed to fly to Leipzig/Halle International Airport, which was considered Mriya’s "second home" – the aircraft made 32 landings there in the past.

Bild notes that the evacuation of the aircraft was planned in advance. According to crew captain Dmytro Antonov, on Feb. 23, 2022 – on the invasion’s eve – he was inside the fully fueled aircraft, ready to depart. The flight was ultimately cancelled "on orders coming from the top."

“The transfer of the An-225 and smaller An-124 aircraft was scheduled for Feb. 25th,” a spokesman for Leipzig/Halle Airport said in a statement.

“The decision was made on Feb. 21st. There had been discussions about this for weeks prior.”

Read also: Antonov announces another An-225 Mriya is under construction

At the same time, Bild’s journalists claim that parking spaces for the two Ukrainian planes in Germany were prepared by Jan. 26, 2022.

According to the report, satellite images of the airfield at Hostomel indicate that the most important aircraft were deliberately vulnerable to Russian attacks, with other planes remaining intact.

Read also: Antonov Airlines relocates to Germany

On March 10, Ukraine’s SBU security service charged the former top management of Antonov state enterprise on suspicion of deliberately sabotaging the defense of Hostomel Airport where An-225 was based. Antonov designed, built, and operated An-225 – the world’s heaviest cargo airplane.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine