Mourning the Mriya: What’s left of the world’s largest plane destroyed by Russia?
The Antonov AN-225 cargo plane, which made its first flight in 1988, was undergoing maintenance at an airfield near Kyiv when it was destroyed by Russian strikes
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The world’s largest plane, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The aircraft known as Mriya (‘dream’ in Ukrainian), was parked at an airfield near the capital city of Kyiv when Russian forces attacked it. AP
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The aircraft was unique to the world, at 84 metres long (276 feet) it could transport up to 250 tonnes (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometres per hour (528 mph). AP
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Ukrainian state defence company Ukroboronprom, which manages Antonov, estimated that restoring the “Mriya” would cost over $3 billion and could take over five years. AP
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The attack marks a shocking end to an aircraft that has seen more than 30 years of service dating back to the days of the Soviet Union. The An-225 made its first flight in 1988. AP
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The AN-225 has been used to deliver humanitarian aid to other countries during times of crisis. For example, in 2010, the AN-225 was used to deliver relief supplies for those affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti. The aircraft also transported medical supplies to various areas during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. AP
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Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba had tweeted about the plane being destroyed. He wrote, “Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!” AP
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Ukrainian servicemen stand next to the Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces at the Antonov airport in Hostomel, Ukraine. AP
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