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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* Origin: AVIATION ECHO HQ (2:292/854)