Ukrainian officials stated on February 27 that the world’s biggest jet had been destroyed by invading Russian soldiers. On the internet, there was a lot of speculation over whether the jet had truly crashed. Now, footage has emerged showing the An-225 Mriya’s charred remains in its hangar. The film was shot on the ground at Antonov Airport in Kyiv by a Russian official television program.
The Antonov AN-225 Mriya (which means “dream” or “inspiration”) was a Soviet strategic airlift cargo aircraft that had the biggest wingspan and was the heaviest aircraft ever built when it was developed in the 1980s. It was seen as a symbol of independence in many areas of Ukraine, as well as attracting a considerable following among international aviation enthusiasts. When combat broke out at the airstrip, reports of a big fire in the hangar presumed to hold the AN-225 began to circulate, prompting curiosity about whether the monster plane was inside.
Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba tweeted confirmation of the plane’s destruction, and state military corporation Ukroboronprom, which oversees Antonov, has subsequently confirmed it. The “Mriya,” the world’s biggest jet and a symbol of Ukraine, was destroyed as Russian soldiers bombed an airport near Kyiv in the continuing Russian invasion.
The Antonov AN-225 Mriya (which means “dream” or “inspiration”) was a Soviet strategic airlift cargo aircraft that had the biggest wingspan and was the heaviest aircraft ever built when it was developed in the 1980s. It was seen as a symbol of independence in many areas of Ukraine, as well as attracting a considerable following among international aviation enthusiasts.
Reports of a big fire in the hangar presumed to contain the AN-225 began to circulate, prompting curiosity as to whether the monster plane was inside. Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba tweeted yesterday to confirm the plane’s destruction, and state military corporation Ukroboronprom, which oversees Antonov, has now confirmed it.
The AN-225 will now be rebuilt at a cost of $3 billion USD, according to the corporation. “The invaders may have brought down the jet, but they will not be able to bring down our shared goal.” Mriya will undoubtedly be resurrected. The repair is expected to cost more than $3 billion and take more than five years. In a statement, Ukroboronprom stated, “Our duty is to guarantee that these expenditures be reimbursed by the Russian Federation, which has inflicted purposeful harm to Ukraine’s aviation and air freight industry.”
With a wingspan of 88.4 meters (290 feet) and a gross weight of 640 tons, the Mriya was an incredible achievement of engineering for its day. The Mriya, which is powered by six Progress D-18T turbofan engines, can reach a top speed of 530 miles per hour (850 kilometers per hour) and a maximum height of 9,000 meters (29,527 feet).
