CIA director William J. Burns travelled to Ukraine in January 2022, and informed the Ukrainian leadership that Russia intended to capture Antonov Airport for an airbridge, which would allow Russian forces to quickly move into Kyiv to "decapitate the government".

Madison Policy Forum analyst John Spencer argued that this would have secured a military victory for Russia, albeit probably producing a massive Ukrainian insurgency.

[16][19][21] Conversely, the Ukrainians did not expect a large-scale airborne assault on Antonov Airport, instead assuming that the Russians would sent a small group of special forces with helicopters in the case of an invasion.

[22] As a result, the airport only held a small garrison of 200–300 National Guard troops belonging to the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade, as the remainder had been moved to the frontline in eastern Ukraine.

[1][23] These troops were mostly conscripts, though there were a "handful" of professional contract soldiers; aside of a few BTRs, at least one ZU-23-2 gun, and a few 9K38 Igla man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), the garrison was lightly equipped.

[24] The setup of defenses at the airport and its garrisoning was hindered by the Antonov State Enterprise whose leadership initially blocked the entry of National Guard troops.

[22] Meanwhile, a formation of 20 to 34 Russian helicopters launched the operation to secure Antonov Airport to create an airbridge in which troops and equipment could muster less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Kyiv.

Flying low, the Russian helicopters made their approach from the Dnieper River and were immediately attacked by Ukrainian small arms fire and MANPADS.

[5] Five Mikoyan MiG-29s of the Ukrainian 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade also intercepted the formation, reportedly shooting down at least two more helicopters and harassing the Russian aircraft intended to support the landing.

[29][10] As the Russian formation approached Hostomel, it was hidden by a thick, low cloud cover, meaning that the airport garrison only discovered them when hearing their rotor blades.

However, the local soldiers had been warned due to the previous bombardment by Kalibr missles, and taken up defensive positions and man the ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun at the airport's northern end.

They could only offer limited resistance, though one national guardsman, Serhiy Falatyuk, shot down a Russian helicopter with an 9K38 Igla, reportedly "boosting the spirits" of the conscripts.

[10] British CNN reporter Matthew Chance caught on camera up close Russian soldiers securing the perimeter of the Airport and he attempted to get some commentary from them.

Ukrainian Gen. Valery Zaluzhny recognized the danger of the Russian bridgehead at Hostomel, and ordered the 72nd Mechanized Brigade under Col. Oleksandr Vdovychenko to organize a counter-attack.

Ukrainian warplanes which survived the opening Russian missile strikes took part in providing air support for the National Guard units; these included at least two Su-24s and a MiG-29.

[10][37][38][39][40] Georgian Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili later claimed that his men ran out of ammunition in the battle, whereupon he used his car to run over retreating Russian paratroopers.

[36] Later, the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade posted on their Facebook page an image of their soldiers celebrating the victory, while holding a Ukrainian flag riddled with bullet holes.

[43] On 25 February 2022, Russian mechanized ground forces advancing from Belarus combined with another air assault by the VDV, took control of the airport after partially breaking through Ukrainian defenses in Ivankiv.

[26][44] Some of the armored vehicles were ambushed before reaching Hostomel, halting the reinforcements for a time, but nonetheless they entered the airport and helped to expel the Ukrainian defenders.

[10] The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs initially denied that the airport had been fully captured by the Russian forces, stating that it had been "changing hands" and that the battle was ongoing.

[27] Researchers of the Atlantic Council also argued that Ukraine's ability to defend the airport for two days "possibly prevent[ed] a rapid capture" of Kyiv by Russia.

[48] Michael Shoebridge of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argued that "the rapid strike was meant to paralyse the central government and demoralise the Ukrainian forces", but that this operation failed.

[35] Royal United Services Institute associate director Jonathan Eyal described the initial Russian failure to take the airport as "a turning point" in the war.

"[49] Researchers Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans argued that the operation failed not just because of the initial Ukrainian defense at the airport, but also because of the Russian advance being stalled in the subsequent Battle of Hostomel.

[1] Jeremy Kofsky, researcher of the United States Military Academy's Modern War Institute, compared the battle of Antonov Airport to Operation Market Garden.

[53] Citing Ukrainian sources and a captured Russian paratrooper, The Moscow Times later reported that at least 60 soldiers from the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade were killed during the battle for the airport.