Zelensky instructs to ‘put on pause’ training flights of Antonov aircraft

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said this at an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on September 26, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The President ordered to suspend all training flights of aircraft belonging to Antonov Company. The instruction is addressed to the defense minister: to ban training flights during the investigation and clarification of the causes of the An-26 plane crash," Shmyhal said.

He also ordered to suspend persons responsible for organizing training flights from duty during the investigation.

On Friday evening, September 25, a Ukrainian Air Force military transport aircraft, An-26, crashed in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region. The plane with cadets of the Kharkiv National Air Force University on board was conducting a training flight before it crashed at about 20:50 local time.

There were 27 people on board of the crashed An-26: seven crew members and 20 military cadets.

Twenty-five people died on the spot and one died from burns incompatible with life in the hospital. Another one is being treated.

A criminal proceeding has been opened for violation of the rules of flights and preparation for them, which entailed a catastrophe and grave consequences (Article 416 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

A state commission, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Oleh Urusky, has been created to investigate the causes of the An-26 plane crash.

Zelensky signed a decree declaring September 26 a day of mourning in Ukraine.

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