Feb 28, 2022: According to a report by Reuters, the world’s largest cargo plane, the Ukrainian-made Antonov-225 Mriya was burnt in a Russian attack on Hostomel airport near Kyiv, Ukrainian state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom said on Sunday.

“The Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation – the legendary An-225 Mriya,” Ukroboronprom announced on its Facebook page.

“It happened at the Antonov airfield in Hostomel near Kyiv,” it added.

As a result of an air attack by Russian troops on the Gostomel airport near Kyiv, one of the largest and most powerful Ukrainian-made AN-225 "MRIYA" aircraft in the world was burned. #AN225 #Mriya #RussiaUkraineWar #RussianAggression pic.twitter.com/s9gl8nvv7q

— KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 27, 2022

It also said that the plane restoration would cost more than $3 billion and take a long time.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the plane had been destroyed.

“Russia may have destroyed our Mriya. But they will never destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European country,” Kuleba tweeted.

Ukrainian media also reported that the plane was destroyed in Russian shelling.

The plane had been parked at the Hostomel airfield northwest of the Ukrainian capital, Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty) reported on Sunday, citing a former and a current employee of the aircraft manufacturer Antonov.

In 2020, the world's largest transport aircraft AN-225 Mriya began to perform humanitarian flights and deliver medical supplies to combat the coronavirus in the #EU. Then #Ukraine defended Europe from the pandemic. Today, russian troops have destroyed the world's aviation legend. pic.twitter.com/nAnxAugMn4

— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) February 27, 2022