The remains of eight World War II Hurricane fighters discovered in Ukraine - the Soviets buried the planes to avoid paying the Lend-Lease money

The remains of British Hurricane fighters have been discovered in a forest in Kyiv region. The United Kingdom sent them to the Soviet Union during the Second World War.

Here's What We Know

During excavation work, the rusting remains of eight British fighter planes were found. Experts say it is the first time so many Hurricanes have been found in the country.

The Hawker Hurricane was heavily used during the Battle of Britain in 1940, when the Royal Air Force repelled Nazi Germany's invasion of the United Kingdom. During the battle, they shot down about half of the enemy aircraft.

Between 1941 and 1944, Britain sent around 3,000 fighter planes to the Soviet Union as part of a lend-lease program paid for by the United States. The aid programme meant that the USSR would pay for any equipment that survived the war.

The Soviets dismantled and buried many of the planes to avoid paying for them. This is exactly what happened to the eight Hurricane fighters that were recently dug up in Ukraine. Before being buried, the planes were stripped of their avionics and all equipment that could be useful.

It is believed that there are only 14 Hurricane fighters in the world that can fly. It is expected that the planes found in Ukraine will be restored and then sent to a museum.

Source: BBC