The world's largest cargo plane, the Antonov-225, has been under attack by Russia, which has invaded Ukraine since February 24. Satellite imagery shows before and after the Antonov was destroyed.
Antonov-225 is known to have been destroyed by Russia on Sunday (27/2) local time while it was parked at Antonov Airport in Gostomel, which is located near the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Planet Labs, a satellite imagery company based in San Francisco, United States, captured the before-after hangar at Antonov Airport damaged by Russian air strikes.
Planet Labs explained, the tail of the damaged Antonov-255 was seen being placed in the airport hangar. Once the hangar structure was damaged.
Satellite images of Antonov Airport were taken on February 20 and February 28, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Maxar Technologies satellite image shows significant damage when the airport was attacked by the Red Bear country.
The Antonov-225, which became the 'victim' of the Russian attack, is being repaired. The world's largest cargo plane has the name Mriya, which in Ukrainian means dream.
Antonov AN-225 Mriya hangar destroyed Photo: CNN
"The invaders destroyed the pride of the Ukrainian aviation authority, the AN-225," Ukroboronprom, Ukraine's state-run multi-product group, said in a statement.
The Antonov-225 is powered by six turbofan engines. It also has a maximum payload weight of 250 tons, which can be carried while airborne at a speed of 850 kilometers per hour.
The Antonov-225 or An-225 cargo plane has a length of 84 meters. The Antonov-225's wing is the largest of any aircraft in operational service.
The Antonov-225 is also the only aircraft ever made by the Kiev-based company Antonov. The aircraft first flew in 1988 and have been in service ever since. Construction began on the second plane, but was never completed.
Launching from the Air Charter Service page, this aircraft has held a number of world records, one of which is the heaviest payload ever carried at 247,000 kilograms (545,000 pounds) which is equivalent to five dismantled Boeing 737s, or nearly two Boeing 747s, or about 3,500 washers. .