Ukrainian transport planes find refuge in Poland amid conflict
Satellite images show that Ukrainian military planes are stationed at Polish airports. These are transport aircraft evacuated from Ukraine for fear of destruction. Among them is a unique design—the only existing model of the short take-off and landing transport plane An-70 worldwide.
5:17 PM EST, November 8, 2024
During the Russian attack on Ukraine, some Ukrainian military planes—primarily transport aircraft—were evacuated to Poland. Among the planes that couldn't be evacuated was the world's largest cargo plane, the An-225 Mriya. This record-breaking aircraft was destroyed at the Hostomel airport at the start of the war.
Publicly available satellite images (Google Earth) reveal that the surviving transport planes belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine were evacuated to Poland. Some of these planes are stationed at the military airport in Dęblin. The images show seven heavy Ił-76MD transport aircraft and one unique An-70 stationed there.
These planes are in constant use and fly to various European countries, among other locations. As explained by Adam Świerkowski from Defence 24: Polish airports have become a crucial logistical support for heavy Ukrainian transport aviation (including military), which allows them to efficiently perform many tasks for both civilian clients and their own army.
According to the expert, the planes deliver necessary operational parts to Ukraine and are also used for the transport of military vehicles. These vehicles, after being withdrawn from combat, are repaired, including overseas.
An-70 – STOL transport aircraft
Among the Ukrainian transport planes stationed in Poland, the An-70 stands out. This is a unique aircraft, existing—like the destroyed An-225 Mriya—in only one example. Ukraine built it in cooperation with Russia. One of the two prototypes was destroyed, and serial production, despite orders, was not initiated.
The An-70 is a medium-sized STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) transport aircraft. This machine, with a length of 135 feet and a wingspan of 144 feet, is powered by four Progress D-27 engines. With an empty weight of 145,500 pounds, the plane can carry up to 104,000 pounds of cargo, 260 wounded on stretchers, or 300 paratroopers.
For takeoff—instead of multi-mile runways—it requires only 650-875 yards of unpaved runway. For comparison, a similarly sized Airbus A400M with an empty weight of 154,300 pounds carries 81,500 pounds of cargo and needs a runway twice as long to take off.
