The only Antonov An-225 Mriya has been confirmed to have been destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While the extent of the destruction of the plane is still unknown, a video report gives us an idea of what it looks like now.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been heartbreaking on many fronts. The largest and most important were the human losses, as the invasion resulted in the loss of countless lives. A lot of gather under structures to escape air raids. The Russian invasion also destroyed one of Ukraine’s symbols of national pride, the giant Antonov An-225 Mriya. While engineers have not been able to assess the plane’s technical condition, a Russian state TV report from Kyiv’s Gostomel Airport showed the plane was at least severely damaged.
It’s hard to make out everything from the footage provided, but the fuselage just around the front of the wings appears to have been completely burned. The cockpit appears to be gone, and Antonov’s cargo store is on the ground, itself damaged. You can find out the name of the plane on it. The right wing also seems to have suffered some damage.
However, not all is bad. Look closely, and you’ll see the plane’s cheat line (the strip of Ukrainian flags painted along the fuselage) and its paintwork light up.
As I said before, this one-off plane – named Mriya (Мрія in Ukrainian for “dream”) – is very important to Ukraine. This is the largest cargo plane in the world, support humanitarian efforts and carry cargo so heavy that no other aircraft can do the job. The plane’s most recent paint job has made it Ukrainian so everyone can see it as it flies around the world. So it is not surprising that both the Ukrainian government and Antonov swear to bring the bird back to the sky.
What that might look like is still unclear. Antonov said that an inspection not completed yet on the plane.
Some still wonder why such an important national symbol was placed in the first place. Ukrainian state arms manufacturer and parent company of Antonov Ukroboronprom got the answer:
According to the director of Antonov Airlines, one of the engines was removed for repair and the plane could not take off that day, although the appropriate orders were given.
It is not possible at this time to assess the condition of the aircraft as well as the possibility and cost of restoring it due to the lack of access to the aircraft due to the control of the airport by the Russian occupiers.
Antonov does not have a second airframe that can be accomplished if an inspection shows that the original plane cannot be saved. Back when the An-225 program launched by the Soviet Union A second aircraft was ordered, but never completed due to lack of funds and interest. Work on the airframe continued throughout the decades as corporate interest in the second aircraft dried up and waned.
Antonov went on to tell the world to stay tuned for an official announcement on the status of the Dream. Hopefully she can be saved, and that brilliant blue and gold will proudly return.
Author’s Note: Welcome back to Jalopnik! I know things were confusing last week; it’s like us. We’re all excited to be back, writing you stories, and we have some exciting ideas for the future. I’m about to let the machines destroy me. And to dear readers who have asked, yes, I’m about to tie the knot!
