Why Are Turkish A-400M Planes Stranded in Ukraine for 94 Days?

The Greatest Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on Turkey:

The Russia-Ukraine War started on February 24, as of today, it has been exactly 94 days since the war started. This war must end so that life can return to normal, so that no more people die, are injured, and cause no more suffering. The end of suffering, especially on the Ukrainian side, and the return of Ukrainians, who had to leave their country due to the war, depend on the end of the war. For Turkey, the war is expected to end so that the two A-400M aircraft that were "captured" at Kiev's Boryspil Airport as of midnight on 23/24 February can also be "rescued". Our planes have been waiting at this airport for 94 days.

Why Did Turkish A-400M Transport Planes Go to Ukraine?

A400M military transport aircraft with flight number TUAF600 took off from Eskişehir Air Force Command south of Ankara at 01:49 on 24 February and landed at Boryspil Airport at 03:47 local time. A400M with flight number TUAF601 took off from Eskişehir at 02:47 and landed in Kiev at 04:49. According to official sources, bombardment started at the airport with the landing of the planes, so the planes were stuck in Ukraine. In addition to Turkish military cargo planes, 4 passenger planes belonging to Hungarian Wizz Air company are in Ukraine (three planes in Kiev, one plane in Lviv).

Ukrainian airspace was closed to all flights and air traffic services were suspended as of 00:45 GMT on the same day after Russia started military action in the country. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has declared to all countries that it is dangerous to fly in the regions bordering Russia and Belarus.

Turkish officials claimed that the planes were sent to carry humanitarian aid and to evacuate Turkish citizens on their return to Turkey. However, unlike Western countries, Turkey did not start evacuations before the invasion and there was no development in humanitarian aid, due to the allegations that military transport vehicles carried Baykar-made TB-2 unmanned aerial vehicles or ammunition (MAM-L, MAM-C, etc.) to be used by these aircraft. caused it to be brought to the agenda in the world press.

It is known that Turkey evacuated the staff of the Turkish embassy in Kiev as of March 11, after the war started.

Minister Akar; During his visit to the Underwater Attack (SAT) Command on March 5, 2022, he announced that military transport planes flew to Ukraine for humanitarian aid and for the evacuation of Turkish citizens on their return. The Defense Minister said the pilots are still at the embassy. Minister Akar: “We sent two of our A-400M aircraft to Ukraine for humanitarian aid.” gave the information.

Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar said, "We sent two of our A400M aircraft to Ukraine on the evening of February 24 for humanitarian aid purposes. At the same time, we planned the evacuation of our citizens there." said. Continuing, Akar stated that "the planes entered the runway to take off after unloading their cargo, but they were not allowed to take off because the airspace was closed," regarding the planes stranded in Ukraine, and said that the negotiations regarding the planes are continuing. Unable to take off after unloading their cargo, the A-400M aircraft have been parked at Kiev's Boryspil Airport since then. However, Akar's statement also raised questions about the reliability of Turkey's official statements that the planes were sent for the evacuation of embassy employees and Turkish citizens.

Condition of Aircraft and Flight Crew:

While the planes continue to stay in Ukraine, their periodic maintenance continues. The teams that are sent from time to time ensure the operation of the planes and then they return to Turkey. Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar said, “Both the flight crew and the technical team went and checked our planes. Our planes are in good condition, no problems so far. We will bring our planes to the country as soon as the conditions are suitable," he said.

In addition to the planes, the flight crew of 16 people is kept waiting at the Turkish Embassy in Ukraine, which has moved to Chernivtsi. Given the task, it prepares for flight.

Can Planes Be Saved?

Turkish planes continue to wait at Boryspil airport, as Ukraine's airspace is closed. About a month ago, the CNN Turk team filmed the planes. It was seen that there was no damage to the planes and they were kept in the open.

There were reports in the Turkish press that the military transport plane could not take off due to the bombing of the runway, the airspace was closed and there was a flight safety risk. Turkey needs the approval of the flight plan for its planes to be allowed to take off from the Boryspil runway, and therefore an agreement on the departure date and time with Russia and Ukraine.

Regarding the return of the planes, Akar said that we are continuing our contacts with both Russia and Ukraine. As a matter of fact, the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia met for the first time in Antalya on March 11 after the Russian occupation, and no significant progress could be made in the name of peace. In the press, it was stated that Turkey negotiated the planes that were stranded in Antalya with both sides, but it was inconclusive.

Although Turkey hosts peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, the return of the planes seems dependent on the end of the war, as it has not given any guarantee that the war is not over or that the Russians will not bomb the Boryspil Airport or that the Turkish planes will not attack the planes on their return routes. It is understood that in the light of the evaluations that Turkey will not risk even if its airspace is opened, and that the planes can be hit by shoulder-fired missiles that can be fired during take-off, it is understood that it has been decided to continue to stay in Ukraine until the safe return of the planes is guaranteed.

On the other hand, similar evaluations are made that if Turkish planes landed in Ukraine on the night of 23/24 February to transport military equipment, Russia did not particularly welcome the return of planes to Turkey as a kind of punishment and therefore did not allow it.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Air Force has a total of 10 A400M military cargo aircraft in its inventory. As two of them are stranded in Kiev, Turkey's military flights to Eastern Europe continue uninterrupted with the other 8 planes. For example, on February 25, the second day of the war, an A400M landed at Rzeszów Airport, near Poland's border with Ukraine. Such flights continued intermittently. After the A-400Ms entered the inventory of the Turkish Air Force, A-400Ms began to perform almost all the overseas missions of the C-130 aircraft, whose modernization process is still in progress. The lack of two of the A-400Ms, which can carry more cargo to countries at a relatively longer distance, naturally increases the load of the other 8 aircraft. The support of material and personnel transport provided by transport aircraft is important for the ongoing operations in Claw-Lock and northern Syria. The return of the two planes is considered important in this respect as well.

Conclusion:

According to some sources, the pilots and flight crew of the two planes have returned to Turkey, and new flight crews will be sent to pick up the planes when needed. According to some, the crews continue to wait in Ukraine and are ready at a distance that can bring the planes at any time.

In any case, it seems that there is no problem in bringing the planes back if the conditions are suitable for flight safety. There were various reports in the Turkish press that preparations were made with the prediction that the mines placed at various points and on the sides of the runway at the airport could be cleared in about 10 hours and then the planes could take off.

On the other hand, it was already clear that the war would start, given the delay in the return of the planes that were stranded in Ukraine for 94 days. It is unthinkable that the entire Turkish state was not aware of this. “Why were planes deliberately sent to Ukraine and why was it allowed to be stranded there?” The questions have not yet found the answers.