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Russian forces has destroyed the world's biggest plane Antonov-225 cargo plane ‘Mriya’, parked at Ukrainian air base in Hostomel.
AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (Dream in Ukrainian) was hit by Russian strikes outside Kyiv on February 27 while it was in hanger for repair at an airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv.
Confirming the loss of the only one AN-225 built so far, Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, said that it will be rebuilding the aircraft built by the Kiev-based Antonov company. "We will rebuild the plane. We will fulfil our dream of a strong, free, and democratic Ukraine," it said in a post on Twitter.
However, the aerospace company has not revealed the details about the extent of damage. It's estimated That the restoration may take up to take 5 years.
Powered by six turbofan engines, it can carry payload weight of 250 tonnes inside or on its back. Built at a cost of $3 billion ‘Mriya’ is 84 meters long and has the largest wingspan of about 88 meters. It took its first flight on 21 December, 1988 and has been in use for airlifting aid during natural disasters. The plane was deployed for carrying medical supplies to different parts of the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Though one more AN-225 was ordered to be built, it was not built.
A CNN report said NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System detected multiple fires at the airport, including at the hangar where the plane is kept. The fire at the hangar was detected at 11:13 a.m. on Sunday, according to the NASA data, which is obtained from a number of NOAA and NASA satellites.
The destruction caused to the legendary aircraft has plunged aviation experts and fans into mourning.
“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!" tweeted Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.
AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (Dream in Ukrainian) was hit by Russian strikes outside Kyiv on February 27 while it was in hanger for repair at an airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv.
Confirming the loss of the only one AN-225 built so far, Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, said that it will be rebuilding the aircraft built by the Kiev-based Antonov company. "We will rebuild the plane. We will fulfil our dream of a strong, free, and democratic Ukraine," it said in a post on Twitter.
However, the aerospace company has not revealed the details about the extent of damage. It's estimated That the restoration may take up to take 5 years.
Powered by six turbofan engines, it can carry payload weight of 250 tonnes inside or on its back. Built at a cost of $3 billion ‘Mriya’ is 84 meters long and has the largest wingspan of about 88 meters. It took its first flight on 21 December, 1988 and has been in use for airlifting aid during natural disasters. The plane was deployed for carrying medical supplies to different parts of the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Though one more AN-225 was ordered to be built, it was not built.
A CNN report said NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System detected multiple fires at the airport, including at the hangar where the plane is kept. The fire at the hangar was detected at 11:13 a.m. on Sunday, according to the NASA data, which is obtained from a number of NOAA and NASA satellites.
The destruction caused to the legendary aircraft has plunged aviation experts and fans into mourning.
“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!" tweeted Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.
