New Images of World’s Largest Cargo Jet Show Details of Destruction

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has released new video showing an apparently destroyed Antonov An-225 Mriya at Gostomel Airport (UKKM) in Ukraine.

Thom Patterson

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 01:23 PM ET

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Why the one-of-a-kind heavy-lift transport aircraft was not flown out of Ukraine before Russia invaded is unclear. [Courtesy Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo airplane and a symbol of Ukrainian industrial prowess, was destroyed at Gostomel Airport during intense fighting.
Russia's Ministry of Defense released imagery confirming its destruction, which was later corroborated by its manufacturer, the Antonov Company.
Antonov has launched a global fundraising campaign to rebuild the unique aircraft, estimating the cost at $3 billion.
Questions persist regarding why the Mriya was not moved to safety, with reasons including it being "under repair" and a lack of action by top management despite warnings.

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Russia’s Ministry of Defense has released new imagery showing an apparently destroyed Antonov An-225 Mriya—once the world’s largest cargo airplane—at Gostomel Airport (UKKM) in Ukraine.

The airport—also known as Antonov Airport—was the scene of intense firefights last month between Ukrainian military and invading Russian special forces. The photos show Mriya’s gigantic nose cone riddled with what appear to be bullet or shrapnel holes sitting near the aircraft’s wing and turbofan engines.