When Mriya burned down: Gostomel and the An-225 in the lens of Sergei Mikhalchuk
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In the first days of the full-scale invasion, Gostomel became one of the key areas of attack for Russian troops and was supposed to become a bridgehead for the Russians to enter the capital. The fighting for the city lasted from February 24, 2022, when the occupiers tried to seize the strategically important Antonov airport by landing helicopter assault. The Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled the attack, but the shelling and bombing did not stop.
Over the following weeks, Gostomel came under heavy fire. Russian troops mercilessly destroyed residential neighborhoods, shelled houses, and killed civilians. The streets of the city turned into a cemetery of burnt civilian cars and military equipment. The infrastructure was completely destroyed.
Among the losses was the world's largest transport aircraft, the An-225 Mriya, which was parked in the hangar of the Gostomel airport. On February 27, 2022, Russian aviation launched a powerful strike on the airport, and the legendary plane burned down.
Shots that went around the world
In the first days after the liberation of the Kyiv region, on April 3, 2022, photographer Serhiy Mykhalchuk visited Hostomel and captured the destroyed airport and the remains of Mriya in his photographs. Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers is publishing his photos as a reminder of the loss of one of the most famous symbols of Ukrainians.
Serhiy Mykhalchuk is a Ukrainian cinematographer and photographer. He has been a volunteer since the first days of the invasion, serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the country's hot spots. His photos of the battles for Kyiv region, the destruction of the world's largest Mriya aircraft, houses destroyed by missiles and civilians killed have spread around the world, demonstrating the cruelty of Russian aggressors.
In an interview with UAPF, Serhiy talks about the war as a powerful emotional experience that will always remain in his memory:
“War is always about extremely strong emotions that are very much embedded in the memory. Even if they are short-lived, they can become the most basic emotions of your life. You will always remember them.”
By publishing the photos from Gostomel, the UAPP seeks to honor the memory of the lost Mriya aircraft and emphasize the importance of documenting war crimes for history and future generations.
Why did the AN-225 burn down?
The An-225 crew commander, Dmytro Antonov, recorded a video message in which he accused the management of the Antonov Company of inaction that led to the loss of the plane. According to him, the destruction of Mriya could have been avoided if the plane had been evacuated in time. Antonov rejected these accusations, calling them “personal judgments” of the crew commander.
Instead, the SBU launched an investigation that found that before the invasion, Antonov's management had forbidden the Ukrainian military to build defensive fortifications at the airport, which made it much more difficult to protect the strategic facility. In April 2022, Antonov CEO Serhiy Bychkov was fired, and later the company's former management was charged.
The three officials are suspected of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces and aiding the enemy, which led to deaths and serious consequences. Two of them are in custody, and one is wanted.
“Will the new Mriya take off?
Despite the loss of the legendary aircraft, Ukraine intends to build a new An-225. In May 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would build the world's second largest Mriya aircraft.
“This is a matter of the image of our country and the memory of all the wonderful pilots who died in this war. These are truly heroic people. Therefore, to build Mriya for the sake of the memory of our heroes is the right state position,” the Head of State emphasized.
Antonov estimated the construction of the second aircraft at $700 million to $1 billion. At the same time, Ukroboronprom stated that the restoration would cost more than $3 billion and would take a long time. According to Antonov's designers, the new An-225 will be based on the unfinished twin brother of the Mriya. Externally, it will be almost indistinguishable, but internally it will be a completely new airplane with state-of-the-art equipment. The new Mriya will be even more powerful, lighter by at least 10 tons, carry more cargo, and fly even further.
The destruction of the An-225 Mriya became one of the most emotional losses for Ukrainians in the first weeks of the war, symbolizing the destruction caused to Ukraine. However, this tragedy has also united Ukrainians and the international community in their efforts to revive the legendary aircraft. The plans for the new Mriya not only reflect technical ambition, but also serve as a powerful symbol of Ukraine's resilience and recovery. When the new AN-225 takes to the skies, it will be a testament to the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people to rebuild their country.
Serhiy Mykhalchuk is a Ukrainian cinematographer, Honored Artist of Ukraine. He was born on July 13, 1972 in Lutsk. In 1994, he graduated from the Ivan Karpenko-Kary Kyiv Theater Institute.
Serhiy's social networks: Instagram, Facebook
We worked on the material:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vira Labych
Editorial director: Olga Kovaleva
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Website manager: Vladyslav Kukhar
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