World’s largest plane destroyed at Ukrainian airport

The world's largest plane was destroyed.

Ukrainian officials claim that the world's largest aircraft, the Anotov AN-225 Mriya, has been destroyed by Russian shelling.

The enormous aircraft was based at Hostomel airport, which is the only one of its type in the world.

The airport was attacked early Thursday morning by Russian military aircraft.

Videos posted on social media appear to show a large air assault on Hostomel Airport, with huge black smoke rising from the ground.

Russia may have destroyed us. They will never be able to destroy our dream of a free and democratic European state. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote that they would prevail.

The Antonov Company said it couldn't verify the technical condition of the aircraft until it had been inspected by experts.

Ukrainian state defence company Ukroboronprom said the aircraft had been destroyed but would be rebuilt at Russia's expense.

The restoration is estimated to take over 3 billion dollars and will take five years to complete.

The Russians want to fly heavy equipment into the country from Hostomel Airport, which is close to the capital city. Almost anything should be able to land at the facility, which is the home of the world's largest aircraft.

The Soviet Union's answer to NASA's Space Shuttle was transported by the unique aircraft from 1988 to 1991.

Only one of the two AN-225s was ever completed.

The Anotov An-225 has six engines and a wingspan of 88 meters.

In 2010, the plane carried the world's longest piece of air cargo, two 42.1 m (138 ft) test wind turbine blades.

#Ukraine : massive Russian helicopter assault ongoing on Hostomel and its vital airbase, just 15 km NW of #Kyiv pic.twitter.com/CCBy6yTQqt

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) February 24, 2022