New images have shown the destruction to what was the world's largest cargo plane, the Antonov An-225, following Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
At 84-meters long and 175 metric tons without fuel and cargo, the aircraft was the longest and heaviest operational plane in the world. It had a maximum take-off weight of 640 tons. The aircraft was incredibly popular with aviation enthusiasts and people often visited airports to see its scheduled arrivals and departures. It was also a symbol of national pride for Ukraine.
The unique plane, which completed its first flight in 1988, was ruined after Russian missiles attacked the Hostomel Airfield on the fringes of Kyiv. It was destroyed on or about Feb. 27, 2022.
Ukrainian forces regained control of the airfield on April 2 following a large-scale Russian withdrawal along the Kyiv axis. It's unclear what will happen to the wreckage now.