" Mriya " , the world ’s largest aeroplane and iconic symbol of Ukraine , has been demolish in the ongoing Russian encroachment after force set on an airfield near Kyiv .
develop in the 1980s , the Antonov AN-225 Mriya ( read to " woolgather " or " inspiration " ) was a Soviet strategic lift payload aircraft that held the title of the largest wingspan and heavy aircraft ever build . It was viewed as a symbol of freedom in many sphere within Ukraine , as well as having a large following from planetary aviation partisan .
theme began emerging of a enceinte fire in the hangar opine to domiciliate the AN-225 , and surmisal speedily develop over whether the monster aircraft was domiciliate within . Dmytro Kuleba , Minister of Foreign Affairs , twinge to confirm the destruction of the carpenter’s plane yesterday , and state defense company Ukroboronprom , which carry off Antonov , has since corroborated it .
The company now hopes to reconstruct the AN-225 at a toll of $ 3 billion USD .
“ The resident ruin the aeroplane , but they wo n’t be capable to destroy our common dream . Mriya will definitely be reborn . The renovation is gauge to take over 3 bln USD and over 5 years . Our chore is to insure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation , which has caused designed harm to Ukraine ’s aviation and the air freight sphere , ” say Ukroboronprom in astatement .
TheMriyawas an stupefying effort of engineering for its prison term , with a wingspan of 88.4 meters ( 290 feet ) and a gross weight of 640 tons . Powered by six Progress D-18 T turbojet engine , the Mriya could travel at a maximum hurrying of 530 sea mile per hour ( 850 klick per hour ) and an altitude of up to 9,000 cadence ( 29,527 metrical foot ) .
It was initially designed to impart booster and orbiters of the Soviet infinite program , alongside the transport of extremist - weighed down freight up to 250,000 kilograms ( 550,000 pounds ) , and soon became a human dynamo of consignment transport .
The AN-225 even participated in COVID-19 relief efforts in the early 2020s , give up decisive medical aid worldwide .
In February 2022 , the AN-225 was park in Antonov Airport in Hostomel , Ukraine , where it was reportedlyundergoing fixing . One of the locomotive engine was dismantled , preventing takeoff .
On February 24 , during theBattle of Antonov Airport , Russian forces delivered aggregative scout troop via helicopter to the airport near Kyiv in an attempt to catch the website and gain a strategical advancing airfield . In a battle involving suspected Russian paratroopers and opposition from the Ukrainian Armed Forces , the drome " change handwriting " multiple times , and the impedance to Russian occupation is ongoing . Russia claim to have secured the land site ; Ukraine deny this and alleges neither side has gained control , but that the airport is too gravely damaged to be used no matter .
It is thought that during this invasion on February 24 , the hangar containing the AN-225 was set alight and the aircraft was destroyed . Antonov now express the iconic plane will be reconstruct only at the disbursal of Russian occupant .
