World’s largest plane ‘destroyed’ in Ukraine, claims government

Antonov AN-225 has been used since the Soviet-era to deliver humanitarian aid to countries

The world’s largest plane, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed by Russia, authorities in Ukraine said on Sunday.

“This was the world’s largest aircraft, AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (’Dream’ in Ukrainian),” Ukraine’s minister for foreign affairs Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement on Twitter.

“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!”

Russia invaded Ukraine after a 24 February announcement by president Vladimir Putin, who called it a “special military operation”.

As the full-scale invasion by Russian troops unfolded, thousands have been forced to flee their homes while Russian missiles have hit Ukraine, including around its capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian company Ukroboronprom, which manages the Antonov company, said in a statement that it will ensure “aggressor” Russia pays for restoring the plane.

“Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation — the legendary AN-225 ‘Mriya’. This happened at the Antonov airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv, where the plane was,” the statement said.

“It will cost over 3bn USD to restore the plane, the restoration shall be time consuming.

“Ukraine will make every effort to ensure that the aggressor state pays for these works.”

Russian troops had on Friday taken control of the airport in Gostomel, which housed the AN-225 just outside Kyiv, reported the Associated Press.

The airport had incurred significant damages, according to satellite images released by US-based company Maxar Technologies.

A satellite image by Maxar Technologies shows a damaged hangar at Antonov Airport in Hostomel (Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

In another statement, Ukroboronprom said: “According to the director of Antonov Airlines, one of the engines was dismantled for repairs and the plane wasn’t able to take off that day, although the appropriate commands were given.”

“Currently it is impossible to assess the plane’s condition and the possibility and cost of its restoring due the lack of access to the aircraft as the control over the airport is taken by the Russian occupiers.”

The Antonov company, however, has not commented on the status of the aircraft and said further details will be released only after an examination by experts.

In a tweet, the company said: “Currently, until the AN-225 has been inspected by experts, we cannot report on the technical condition of the aircraft.”

The Ukraine government’s claim has not been independently verified.

The AN-225, dating back to the Soviet era, has been in service for over 30 years and has been used to airlift humanitarian aid to other countries, reported CNN.

It was used to deliver aid after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and had sent relief materials to the Dominican Republic as well.

The aircraft has been used to transport medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic as well.