
Ukraine's An-225 Mriya, a super-heavy transport aircraft developed by the Kyiv-based Antonov Aviation Company, made its first flight in 1988. The only one of its kind, it has become the largest and most powerful aircraft in the world. The Mriya has a maximum take-off weight of 640 tonnes, which is significantly higher than the US military transport aircraft C-5 Galaxy, with its 381 tonnes, and the second largest aircraft, the An-124 Ruslan.
The AN-225 Mriya is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for setting more than two hundred records on a single aircraft, which is unique in world aviation. This aircraft and its sibling, the AN-124 Ruslan, were used to transport large cargoes such as locomotives and 150-tonne generators, which was previously impossible to do by air.
Both aircraft were often used for humanitarian missions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mriya played a key role in the international delivery of medical supplies and medicines.
Unfortunately, in the first days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on 24 February 2022, Mriya was destroyed at Gostomel airport as a result of a Russian air attack during a failed attempt to seize Kyiv. Only a few engines, wing elements, and other structural parts survived, which can be used to create a new An-225. Antonov plans to restore this legendary aircraft using its existing scientific and technical potential and has set up a special fund to raise funds for the restoration of Mriya.