On the Front Lines of Kyiv: Tactical Insights from the Battle for Hostomel Airport

Valentin Areh

doi:10.2478/cmc-2026-0007

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On the Front Lines of Kyiv: Tactical Insights from the Battle for Hostomel Airport

CONTEMPORARY MILITARY CHALLENGES

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

By: Valentin Areh

Open Access

|Mar 2026

Abstract

In February 2022, the Russian airborne assault on Hostomel or Antonov International Airport marked a critical failure in Moscow’s strategy for the rapid capture of Kyiv. Intended as a strategic gateway to the capital, the airport was not secured as a functional airbridge due to a combination of Ukrainian resistance and operational missteps by Russian forces. The determined defence of Hostomel Airport bought valuable time to reinforce Kyiv’s defences and ultimately played a decisive role in thwarting Russia’s plan to encircle the capital.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cmc-2026-0007 | Journal eISSN: 2463-9575 | Journal ISSN: 2232-2825

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Language: English, Slovenian

Page range: 101 - 120

Published on: Mar 31, 2026

Published by: General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Battle of Kyiv,

Hostomel Airport Assault,

Russian Airborne Operations,

Strategic and Operational Failures

Related subjects:

Social sciences,

Sociology,

Sociology of science, technology, and environment,

Political science,

Political thought,

Military policy,

International relations

© 2026 Valentin Areh, published by General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)