Fighting has been reported around Gostomel Airport near Kiev in Ukraine. The airport, also known for having the world’s largest cargo plane, plays a key role in Putin’s plan for conquest.
In Ukraine, Russian forces are advancing towards the capital of Kiev in a major attack on the country, according to correspondents. The focus is always on Kiev-Gostomel Airport, an international cargo airport about 20 kilometers north-west of Kiev. Fighting has been reported around the airport, observers say it could play a strategic role in Russia’s plans for conquest. The Ukrainian army should therefore do everything possible to defend the area.
Clashes around the airfield have been reported again and again since Thursday. The Ukrainian general staff said that on Friday night the Russian army tried to deploy 200 of its airborne troops there. However, the Ukrainian army managed to repel the landing of the main contingent.
How far Russian soldiers got in their attack is not entirely clear. Citing Ukrainian information, the media also said that the airfield had been “recaptured”. According to reports, there was heavy fighting around the area. There was talk of 40 fatalities on Thursday alone. On Friday morning, the Ukrainian general staff again said there was fighting at the airport. However, at the time, Ukrainian troops are said to have withstood the attack.
Russia could use the airport for an airlift when attacking Ukraine
For Vladimir Putin’s plans to conquer Ukraine, it is obviously very important to capture this airport, as the editorial network Germany (RND) explains. Ukraine fears that Gostomel Airport – or Hostomel, as it is called in the German media – could serve as a location for an airlift to intensify the attack. After its capture, the Russian armed forces could use this airport to bring more troops and equipment into the country. The site is equipped with a runway on which the largest cargo plane in the world can touch down.
Precisely because of this aircraft, the airport near Kiev was also internationally known in times of peace: The world’s largest cargo aircraft, the Antonov AN-225, is stationed in Gostomel, where the headquarters and factory airport of the aircraft manufacturer Antonov are also located, which in the past was also regularly used in Leipzig was a guest. Only last December, the huge aircraft, of which only one machine is in use worldwide, brought hundreds of thousands of rapid corona tests to Germany.
Rumors circulated on Friday morning that the freighter may have been destroyed in the fighting around the airport. However, there was no confirmation of this.
Sources: / “” / with current material from dpa and AFP
Watch the video: On the second night of the war in Ukraine, violent explosions were seen over Kiev. The recordings should show how a flying object is shot down over the capital.
Source: Stern
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