"Ukrainian dream" Destruction of the world's largest aircraft An-225 and its consequences

*Additional note: At 1:33 on March 2, Japan time, Antonov's official account tweeted, "Dreams are not burning." We will reflect it as soon as the details are clarified.

*Additional postscript: After 20:00 Japan time, a video of the plane being destroyed was confirmed. Destruction is a pattern of fact.

Destruction of the World's Largest Aircraft

While Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, we have sad news.

　It became clear that the An-225 (Murya), the world's largest aircraft and the only aircraft in Ukraine, was destroyed by Russian forces at an airport near Kiev. The official Twitter account of the Ukrainian government has also been destroyed.

　In Japan, the same type of aircraft has been chartered frequently since the Soviet era, and has been used for transporting Hiroshima Electric Railway vehicles, dispatching the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, and even importing Beaujolais Nouveau. was flying. It also flew to Chubu Centrair International Airport in February.

　According to the author's research on the aircraft location information site flightradar24, it seems that 5 of the 7 An-124s owned by Antonov Airlines are outside Ukraine. However, we cannot return to Ukraine unless the situation in Ukraine stabilizes, and it is unclear whether Antonov will be able to perform maintenance even if we return.

　The An-124 owned by a Russian company was used in the transportation of the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq earlier. However, in the future, there is a possibility that it will not be possible to use it due to economic sanctions against Russia, and it is not known whether Ukraine's An-124 can also be used. As a result, the number of commercial aircraft that can be used for oversized cargo will decrease sharply.

　The An-124 has a shorter cargo compartment than Boeing's latest cargo aircraft, the B747-8F, but it has a wider cargo door and can carry taller and wider cargo, making it an ideal choice for other aircraft. There may be some cargo that cannot be transported by courier, which may have a major impact.

Reconstruction of An-225 and the Ukrainian Dream

　In the tweet of the Ukrainian government account quoted earlier, it is also stated that An-225 will be reconstructed. In addition, there is an unfinished An-225 left in Ukraine, and there are also voices that it will be manufactured based on this. However, giant aircraft like An-225 were completed because of the Soviet space program, a project that put national prestige on the line.

　In fact, according to a statement by the general manager of Ukrainian state-owned company Ukroboronprom, the parent company of Antonov Airlines, the reconstruction of An-225 will cost more than $3 billion and will take five years. It has said it will pay for the cost to Russia, which deliberately destroyed and damaged the aircraft. However, at present, there is no prospect of that. The statement continues:

　The An-225, which was created for the Soviet Union's space development, became a Ukrainian dream after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Will the day come when dreams fly again?

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