Ukraine Authorities : World’s Largest Plane Destroyed By Russia, Over N1.24trn to Rebuild.
Authorities in Ukraine report that the world’s biggest aircraft, the Antonov AN-225, was destroyed by Russia. The information was revealed by Ukraine’s minister for foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, in a tweet.
According to him, the aircraft was unique to the world; at 84 meters long (276 feet), it could transport up to 250 tonnes (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometres per hour (528 mph).
A portion of his tweet reads:
“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!”
Also reacting to the news is Ukrainian company Ukroboronprom, which manages the Antonov company, stressed 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 $3 billion (N1.24 trillion) 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.”
AN-225: The stories behind the aircraft
A CNN report stated that the AN-225 was sometimes used during times of crisis to airlift aid.
In the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, it delivered relief supplies to the neighbouring Dominican Republic. Likewise, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the plane was used to transport medical supplies to affected areas. Its popularity in the aviation world meant it often drew large crowds wherever it went, particularly when it made star appearances at air shows.
