Ukraine named the Antonov AN-225 aircraft as “Mriya” or “Dream.” An enormous aircraft, it was powered by six engines and had attained a cult status. It was undergoing repairs at an airfield near Kyiv when the "Russian occupants" attacked and damaged it. The authorities in Ukraine want to rebuild it and says Russia would have to foot the bill of around $3 billion USD. The restoration would require over five years. Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, manages the Antonov AN-225 and it has been in service for more than three decades ever since the days of the Soviet Union. The incident has affected Ukraine's aviation and air cargo sectors.
The AN-225 has played important roles to help airlift aid during crises in other countries. After the Haiti earthquake of 2010, it delivered relief supplies to the neighboring Dominican Republic. In the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the aircraft ferried medical supplies to affected areas. Until now, the Kiev-based Antonov Company built only one AN-225. Its first flight was in 1988 and has been in service ever since. The story of this marvelous aircraft began in the 1960 and '70s. It stemmed from a need to transport large and heavy loads from their places of assembly to the Baikonur Cosmodrome. This was the sprawling spaceport in the deserts of Kazakhstan. It was from here that Yuri Gagarin was launched into space in 1961.
Source -
edition.cnn.com dated 28/2/2022
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