The Antonov An-225 Mriya (or “dream” in Ukrainian) is the biggest and heaviest-lift transport aircraft in the world. Manufactured by the Soviet Union, the impressive plane is 84m long, features six engines, 32-wheel landing gear and has an empty weight of 285 tonnes.

The Antonov An-225 was built in the 1980s and took its first flight on December 21, 1988. It was originally tasked with transporting the space shuttle for the Soviet space programme (the Buran spaceplane) and landed at the 1989 Paris Air Show with the shuttle on its back. The plane was destroyed in 2022 during the Ukrainian war, when it was caught in the crossfire during the Battle of Antonov Airport, near Kyiv, Ukraine.

The enormous plane was designed to carry extremely heavy cargo, such as single pieces weighing up to 200 tonnes.

According to aircraft charter experts at Chapman Freeborn, the Antonov “is able to carry up to 250 tonnes of cargo, which is equivalent to the average weight of 52 mature elephants”.

“The AN-225 has set over 200 world records, including airlifting the world’s heaviest cargo, and the world’s longest cargo.”

AviationAtoZ said: “Stepping inside the Mriya could feel like entering a hangar rather than an aircraft. Its cargo hold measures 43 meters long, 6.4 meters wide, and 4.4 meters tall. For perspective, a typical basketball court is 28 meters long, meaning the Mriya’s cargo space could easily accommodate one with room to spare.

“This cavernous interior enabled it to carry locomotives, entire sections of other aircraft, and even giant wind-turbine blades.

“Loading such massive objects was made possible by its distinctive nose, which tilted upward to create a cargo ramp.”

It is believed that the Antonov AN-225 Mirya would cost around $3billion (£2.1billion) to rebuild.