'Dream' Destroyed: World's Largest Plane Lies 'Ruined' After Russian Retreat From Hostomel

The remnants of what was the world’s largest plane, the Antonov AN-225, were filmed at Hostomel Airport near Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 2, as Ukrainian officials said the area had been recaptured from Russia.

Hostomel was the site of fighting on the very first day of Russia’s invasion, February 24. The government of Ukraine later said that the Antonov AN-225, named “Mriya” or “The Dream,” had been destroyed during battles at the airport. The six-engine aircraft was the only one of its kind ever built.

In early March, the plane was seen in a Russian state media dispatch from Hostomel. On March 31, US defense officials said Russia had likely left the area, part of troop movements near Kyiv. Drone footage showed the airfield abandoned.

This video, taken by Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko on April 2, shows the remains of the Mriya at Hostomel Airport. “It’s impossible to kill the dream,” Goncharenko said. Credit: Oleksiy Goncharenko via Storyful

Video transcript

OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: I am in Hostomel. And this is the biggest aircraft in the world. This was the biggest aircraft in the world. It was called Mryia. It means "dream" in English. And you see what Russian world made with our dream. But I want to assure you, we will rebuild our country. We will rebuild our dream. Our country will be beautiful, prosperous, and Russia will pay for everything they did. It's impossible to kill the dream. [NON-ENGLISH] Thank you very much, and we will do it together with you.