The world’s largest plane, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed by Russia, authorities in Ukraine said on Sunday, IgbereTV reports.
“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!”
Ukrainian company, Ukroboronprom, which manages the Antonov, 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 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.”
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
