Private Jet Charter at Gostomel (UKKM/GML)

Gostomel: Antonov's Home Field and the Most Contested Airstrip of the 2022 War

Gostomel Airport — formally the Antonov Airport — was never a commercial gateway. For decades it served as the operational base of Antonov Airlines and the testbed for the world's largest cargo aircraft, including the An-124 and the An-225 Mriya. Private jet movements to and from Gostomel were conducted through the Antonov Company's dedicated facilities, positioning the field as a discreet, low-traffic alternative to Kyiv Boryspil for cargo charters, ferry flights, and executive positioning into the Ukrainian capital.

Operational Profile

Since the Russian Armed Forces launched airborne assault operations targeting Gostomel on 24 February 2022, the airfield has been effectively destroyed as a civil aviation facility. The An-225 Mriya — the heaviest aircraft ever built — was burned on the apron and confirmed destroyed. Hangars, ground equipment, and the runway infrastructure sustained damage during the fighting that lasted until late March 2022. As of the most recent publicly available assessments, Gostomel is non-operational for civil or private aviation. Ukrainian civil aviation authority (UCAA) NOTAMs and international navigation databases classify UKKM as closed. No FBO services, customs processing, or handling are available on site.

Transfers & Connections

Pre-war, Gostomel offered road access to central Kyiv via the E373 highway in approximately 35–45 minutes depending on traffic at the Kyiv ring road. The field sat 8 km from Bucha and 25 km from the Kyiv city centre. For any future civil access to the Kyiv metropolitan area, operators should monitor Boryspil International Airport (KBP) to the east of the capital, which has historically handled the bulk of business aviation traffic into Ukraine. Lviv Danylo Halytskyi Airport in western Ukraine has served as an alternative entry point for humanitarian and diplomatic flights during the conflict period.

Handling & Customs

Pre-conflict, Gostomel operated under the Antonov Airlines handling framework, with customs and border control available for cargo and ferry operations by prior coordination with the Antonov Company. There was no independent FBO in the Western commercial sense. All services were coordinated through Antonov's own ground operations team. These services are currently suspended. Ukrainian airspace remains subject to active conflict-zone restrictions under ICAO documentation, and Ukraine is classified as a high-risk airspace environment by all major aviation authorities including EASA, FAA, and the UK CAA. No private jet routing into or out of Gostomel should be planned without direct confirmation from Ukrainian state authorities and applicable national civil aviation authorities. Operators seeking access to the Kyiv region should coordinate through Warsaw Chopin (WAW) or Budapest for onward surface connections pending any future airspace normalisation.