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The Antonov An-225 may have been spared in the Russian attack on Gostomel
airport near Kiev. At least that's what Dmitry Antonov, chief pilot of Antonov
Airlines, reports. Earlier, Ukrainian sources reported that the world's
largest aircraft may have been destroyed.
 
In a message on Facebook, Antonov reports that 'Mriya' is still intact.
Further information is not available at the moment.
 
The aircraft is based at Gostomel Airport, north of Kiev. At the end of the
afternoon it was announced that Russian soldiers had managed to take control
of the airport after a fierce battle.
 
Only one of the six-engined An-225 was built. According to data from various
flight tracking websites, the aircraft last flew from Billund to Kiev on
February 5.
 
The Antonov An-225 was developed in the 1980s to carry the Soviet space
shuttle Buran, and first flew in 1988. The aircraft has been available for
commercial flights since 2001. The aircraft can carry 250 tons of cargo, and
is ideally suited for carrying large loads.

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