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Ukraine Vows To Rebuild World's Biggest Plane And Will Force Russia To Pay For It
The massive Antonov-225 Mriya was burnt down at the start of the invasion and could cost AUD $3.86 billion to repair.
Rachel Lang
Ukraine has vowed to rebuild the world's biggest plane after it was destroyed in the early days of the invasion.
And they're going to make Russia foot the bill.
The Antonov-225 Mriya - which means 'dream' in Ukrainian - was burnt down in late February.
The massive cargo plane measured a whopping 84 meters, boasted an 88 metre wingspan, and weighed a colossal 314 tonnes.
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The beast also needed six engines to get it up in the air.
According to state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom, Russia could receive a bill of more than £2.24 billion (AUD $3.86 billion) to fix the aeronautical giant.
"The Russians destroyed An-225 'Dream, it will be restored at the expense of the occupant," Ukroboronprom boss Yuri Gusev said.
"Russian invaders destroyed the flagman of Ukrainian aviation - the legendary An-225 'Dream'.
"Its restoration will cost more than $3 billion and will take a long time. Ukraine will put all its efforts to make these work paid by the state-aggressor.
He added that they may have destroyed Ukraine's giant of the sky, but the Russian Federation will never crush their real dream.
"Russia destroyed our 'dream', but the dream of free from occupant Ukraine is impossible to destroy," he said.
"We will fight for our land and our home to a victorious end."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba echoed Gusev's comments.
"Russia may have destroyed our 'Mriya', but they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state," Kuleba said.
The Foreign Minister then simply said 'we shall prevail' in their fight to expel Russian forces.
The plane was destroyed during a battle at Hostomel airport, about an hour outside Kyiv, in the early days of Putin's invasion.
Two Antonov employees told Ukrainian radio Radio Svoboda at the time that they had witnessed the hanger housing the one-of-a-kind plane burn down.
The plane manufacturers responsible for building the enormous aeroplane, the Antonov Company, have since revealed they cannot give an update of the condition of the ruined aircraft until it is inspected by experts.
The Antonov An-225 Mriya was designed and built in Ukraine in the 1980s, originally designed by the Soviet Union when it controlled Ukraine as a Socialist republic.
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