(HorizonPost.com) – On February 24, helicopters from Russia attacked the Gostomel Airport in Kyiv, Ukraine, in an attempt to take over the military airstrip. On February 27, the Ukrainian government confirmed the invasion destroyed the largest working aircraft in the world – the Antonov AN-225 Cossack. Unfortunately, officials couldn’t move the six-engine airplane to a safer area because it was in the middle of repairs when the Russians assaulted the airport.
The aircraft, nicknamed Mriya, was one of a kind, but the dream of rebuilding is not dead.
Multiple reports confirm that the world’s largest airplane—the Antonov AN-225—was destroyed during a conflict six miles from Kyiv, Ukraine. These @doverview photos show the scale of the flyer nicknamed “Mriya”, or “The Dream” in Ukrainian.
📸: Daily Overview/Maxar Technologies pic.twitter.com/HQqsbvGuzK
— WIRED (@WIRED) February 28, 2022
Ukraine has an airframe they kept after the fall of the Soviet Union, and they plan to use the skeleton to build a new jumbo airplane. Breitbart News reported sources which estimated the cost to rebuild could be between $450 million and $3 billion and might take at least 5 years. According to UkrOboronProm, Ukraine intends to have the Russian Federation pay for the plane’s replacement build.
Mriya could lift and transport 250 tons of material, moving everything from train cars, helicopters, and large amounts of PPE from the start of the pandemic. Since its original design was for space flight, many have shown interest in using its replacement for that exploration. China may want to use the new aircraft to launch satellites, while the UK could use its assistance to propel its space shuttle. Ukrainian officials said Russia will not destroy their dreams.
Copyright 2022, HorizonPost.com
