Ukraine war
Total loss in Kyiv: New photos and videos show the destroyed Antonov An-225
This photo published on Twitter shows the remains of the Antonov An-225 in Kyiv-Hostomel
© Screenshot Witter/flyosta
During the attack by Russian troops on Antonov’s airport in Kyiv-Hostomel in the first days of the war, the world’s largest cargo plane was also badly damaged. Now the full extent of the destruction becomes visible.
On March 31, Russian troops withdrew from the premises of Kyiv Hostomel Airport, located 20 kilometers northwest of the Ukrainian capital. As a result, Ukrainians were now also able to inspect the hangars of the Antonov aircraft works and document the damage with photographs.
The world’s only example of an Antonov An-225 stood under a huge and protective roof. The “Mriya”, as the six-engine cargo plane is also called, which means “dream” in Ukrainian, was once Ukraine’s flying symbol, a technological marvel of the country.
The plane parked for maintenance caught fire during the second wave of Russian attacks on the Antonov International Cargo and Works Airport last weekend in February. The first recordings of the Russian state television confirmed the worst fears: The 84 meter long aircraft with a wingspan of 88 meters was badly damaged.
Antonov An-225: Only example of the world’s largest cargo plane destroyed
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“Damaged Beyond Repair”
The photos now published confirm the total loss of the An-225 built in 1988. The aircraft shows severe fire and structural damage to the fuselage and wings. The cockpit is completely destroyed, bow and wing are separated from the fuselage on the hall floor.
The charred remains of the “Mriya” can no longer be used as a basis for a reconstruction. In professional circles, such serious damage is referred to as “damaged beyond repair”. “Air Cargo News” reported.
In addition to the remains of the Antonov, a burnt-out military truck and the remains of a tracked vehicle can also be seen in one photo. Other photos show a more or less intact Antonov An-124 from Antonov Airlines in another hangar. This type of aircraft once served as the basis for the An-225.
Under the title “Destroyed ‘Dream’. Hostomel after the occupiers left” shows a video uploaded to YouTube several aerial photos of the airport area in Hostomel. The two-minute clip also shows the vaulted and badly damaged hall roof in which the An-225 was stored. From the drone perspective, the destroyed fuselage of the aircraft with the uncharred white nose of what was once the world’s largest cargo aircraft can be clearly seen.
Also read:
– An-225: Can Antonov save his greatest flying treasure after all?
– Before the destruction of the “Mriya”: NATO probably recommended Antonov to relocate the An-225 from Ukraine
– Ukraine War: How Hard Western Sanctions Are Hitting Russian Aviation