The giant Antonov AN-225 was destroyed during the Russian invasion. But Ukraine says it will fly again

Only one of these flights was completed, the first flight taking place in 1988

The torn nose cone of the Antonov AN-225 cargo plane hangs over Yevhen Bashynsky.

Affectionately known as the Miria or “Dream,” this gigantic plane is the pride of Ukraine and one of its pilots, 38-year-old Pashinsky.

This is the first time Bashinsky returns to see the remains of Mria.

“It’s very difficult to be here and see this whole scene. The plane is wrecked, the hangars are destroyed. It’s very difficult to see”, he says.

At the start of the war, elite Russian paratroopers landed at Antonov Airfield, a large cargo airfield in Hostomal, northwest of Kiev. This should be a starting point for attacking the capital. The take didn’t go as planned. Russian troops were surrounded inside the airfield, and there was no chance to bring in reinforcements quickly.

Word soon spread in aviation circles that the Mria had been damaged during the fight. When Ukrainian forces retook the airport, the extent of the destruction became apparent.

Ukraine’s security services on Wednesday launched a joint investigation with the national police into the alleged failure of Antonov, the former head of a state-owned company, to return the plane safely to Germany.

When flying, the Mria was designed for aviation: the world’s heaviest aircraft; Largest wingspan of any active cargo aircraft; six turbofan engines with over 50,000 pounds of thrust each; 250 ton load capacity.

First flown in 1988, only one of these aircraft was completed. It was designed to carry the Buran spacecraft – the Soviet Union’s answer to NASA’s space shuttle – on its back. But after Ukraine became independent, Antonov renewed the plane several times.

In the early 2000s, Mriya again began to work with a commercial aspect. It’s slowly finding a niche, says Ruslan Bykovets, managing director of Antono’s cargo division.

Satellites, transformers, water supplies after the hurricane – the Ukrainian giant carried everything, he says. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it carried vital medical cargo.

Pilot Pashinsky said the plane was challenging to maneuver on the ground, but it was a joy to fly it – and it was closely followed by aviation enthusiasts.

“It was like we were a part of something bigger. We were touching something bigger,” he says.

“It was also a big responsibility because you were in the spotlight. A few days after the flight, I could go on YouTube and watch everything I did.”

In May last year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would rebuild the plane in light of the country’s symbolic importance.

Antonov officials said another AN-225 was partially built – but abandoned in the 1990s due to lack of funds. The current plan is to use the existing one as a platform for the new aircraft.

Engineers and technicians search the ruins of Miria in Hastomal for useful parts. Antonov designer Valery Kostiuk says they will take off one of its giant wings to try to restore it.

“The aircraft will be equipped with modernized engines. The aircraft will be equipped with new electronic equipment. Famous companies will be involved,” he says.

It is not yet clear which companies these will be and how Ukraine will be able to build the plane, company officials have not disclosed this information. It’s impossible to say exactly how much it will cost to rebuild the plane, but some estimates approach one billion US dollars. Antonov businessman Bykovets agrees that this may not be a priority for a country torn apart by war.

However, he says it’s something that needs to be done.

“This plane is a symbol of Ukraine,” he says. “It’s an icon like the Burj Khalifa [no Dubai]Or the Statue of Liberty [nos Estados Unidos].”