Four months ago, at the start of the war, countless Ukrainians were dismayed to learn that the world’s largest cargo plane, built in Ukraine, had been destroyed in a fierce battle.
Airplane, called Mrya, which in Ukrainian means Dream, is the pride of Ukraine. Only one was ever built. It was a global celebrity for airplanes. Now it lies in ruins.
But this week, efforts to revive Mriya took a big step forward. Richard Branson, the British billionaire and aerospace magnate, toured the airport in Hostomel, a city near Kyiv where the plane was stationed. During the visit, on Wednesday, Ukrainian aerospace experts hatched the idea of rebuilding it.
“We are delighted,” said Nataliya Sad, a spokesman for Ukroboronprom, the defense manufacturer that owns Mriya. “Mriya is our symbol of victory, light overcoming darkness, and it should be rebuilt.”
Branson, who has frequently spoken out in support of Ukraine during the war, did not say if he had contributed to the effort to get the giant ship back up high. But he wrote on his blog, “I hope that Mriya’s legacy lives on.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Group said that Mr Branson was assessing what was needed to rebuild the plane and that the effort would turn to finding ways the international community could support the project and help rebuild the airport. as well as the aviation industry of Ukraine.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, a Ukrainian lawmaker, David Arakhamia, said that Mr Branson had “expressed his willingness to help in any way possible.
In late February, Russian forces attempted to capture Hostomel airport, just north of the capital Kyiv, to fly thousands of troops. The Ukrainian defenders eventually managed to destroy them, but in the process the airfield was destroyed and so did Mriya, who was hit directly by an exploding shell.
276 feet long and six stories high, Antonov An-225 Mriya heavier than any other plane in the sky, much more than a 747. Its nose flips up so turbine blades or even smaller jets can slide into its belly. Built in 1988 as part of the Soviet space program, it remained flying until February, transporting Covid supplies.
Ukrainian officials swore to rebuild it using the second half completed Mriya fuselage located in the aircraft factory at an undisclosed location. However, Ukrainian officials say the project could cost more than $1 billion and they need outside help, which is why they are so excited about Branson’s visit.
“Maybe get her flying again, just not right now,” Ms Sad said.
The Ukrainian media also said that Mr. Branson was interested in helping rebuild Hostomel Airport.
On Tuesday, Ukraine released a special commemorative postage stamp Mriya. It features a cheerful, colorful drawing of Mriya, penned by an 11-year-old schoolgirl, Sofiya Kravchuk, from western Ukraine.
Three million stamps were made. By the end of this week, they are expected to be sold out.
