The largest plane in the world — Ukraine’s Antonov-225 cargo plane — was destroyed by Russian strikes outside Kyiv on the fourth day of Moscow’s invasion, Ukraine’s state-owned Ukroboronprom group said Sunday.
“Russian invaders destroyed the flagship of the Ukrainian aviation, the AN-225” at the Antonov airport in Gostomel near Kyiv, the group said in a statement.
The aircraft was unique to the world, at 84 meters long (276 feet) it could transport up to 250 tons (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometers per hour (528 mph).
It had been named “Mriya,” which means “dream” in Ukrainian.
Weapons manufacturer Ukroboronprom estimated that restoring the “Mriya” would cost over $3 billion (2.7 billion euros) and could take over five years.
“Russian invaders destroyed the flagship of the Ukrainian aviation, the AN-225” at the Antonov airport in Gostomel near Kyiv, the group said in a statement.
The aircraft was unique to the world, at 84 meters long (276 feet) it could transport up to 250 tons (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometers per hour (528 mph).
It had been named “Mriya,” which means “dream” in Ukrainian.
Weapons manufacturer Ukroboronprom estimated that restoring the “Mriya” would cost over $3 billion (2.7 billion euros) and could take over five years.
