The largest commercial aircraft in the world, the Antonov AN-225has been destroyed by Russian troops in a bombing of Gostomel airport, located on the outskirts of kyiv. The images show the deplorable state in which this iconic plane is located, whose repair will cost about 3,000 million dollars and will take more than five years. However, it still maintains the rear area and part of the wings that are quite recognizable.
The airline’s chief pilot, Dmytro Antonovmade his first visit to the bombed-out Gostomel airport, taking advantage of the withdrawal of Russian troops from several Ukrainian cities.
Wreckage from the Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane is seen at an airfield in the settlement of Hostomel
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF UKRAINE (via REUTERS)
Russia will pay the cost of repair
This aircraft, built for support the Soviet ferry program of the 1980sarrived in Ukraine from Denmark on February 5 and had not left the airfield, the scene of heavy clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
An Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane, the world’s biggest aircraft, destroyed by Russian troops is seen at an airfield in the settlement of Hostomel
GLEB GARANICH (REUTERS)
The state company of the industrial-military arsenal of the country, Ukroboronprom, explained that it will apply all efforts so that the restoration costs are borne by the “aggressor country”.
“Russia may have destroyed our Mriya, but they can never destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We will prevail!”Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba wrote on Twitter after the attack.
An Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane, the world’s biggest aircraft, destroyed by Russian troops is seen at an airfield in the settlement of Hostomel
GLEB GARANICH (REUTERS)
A major loss for Ukraine, because it was a symbol of pride for the country.
Without a doubt, these images have not gone unnoticed by the aviation sector, since the AN-225 was recognized as a marvel Of Modern Aerial Engineering, regularly drawing people at air shows, where he was the main star.
This was the world’s largest aircraft, AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (‘Dream’ in Ukrainian). 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! pic.twitter.com/TdnBFlj3N8
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 27, 2022