RIP Antonov AN-225 ‘Mriya’

Insight Bureau: The world’s largest operation aircraft ‘Antonov AN-225 Mriya’ has been destroyed by Russian Strike while it was parked at an airfield near Kyiv, Ukraine on 27 February.

Mriya in Ukrainian means dream and was globally recognized due to its size.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya holds record for being world’s largest and heaviest airplane built.

Mriya had the largest wingspan of 88 metres and can carry payload weight up to 640 tonnes.

The airlifter holds world record for an airlifted single-item payload of 189,980 kg and an airlifted total payload of 253,820 kg. It transported a payload of 247,000 kg on a commercial flight.

On 11 September 2001, Mriya carried four main battle tanks at a record load of 253.82 tonnes of cargo and flew over 1,000 km at a speed of 763.2 km/h.

On 11 August 2009, the heaviest single cargo item ( 16.23 m long and 4.27 m wide) was sent by air cargo was loaded onto the Mriya.

On 11 June 2010, the An-225 carried the world’s longest piece of air cargo, two 138 feet test wind turbine blades from Tianjin, China, Denmark.

Mriya used to carry large consignments of medical supplies as well as industrial material during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, “Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state.”

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

Ukroboronprom, a state-owned defence company of Ukraine which manages Antonov (manufacturing company of Antonov AN-225 Mriya), said it would cost about $3 billion to rebuild the airplane.

Ukroboronprom further added that Mriya was on ground at the Gostomel airfield near Kyiv for some maintenance work on February 24.

According to satellite images, Antonov AN-225 Mriya was parked in a hanger in Antonov Airport and was destroyed on 27 February.

Satellite images of Mriya being destroyed in the Russian attack is viral in social media.

Netizens pay tribute to the world’s largest operation aircraft.