Russia destroyed the world's largest airplane, but its smaller sibling survives — meet the An-124

Taylor RainsJan 13, 2024, 02:12 IST

Ukraine's An-124 fleet received two saved engines from the destroyed An-225 Myria.Jan Woitas/picture alliance via Getty Images

The Antonov An-124 Ruslan was built in the 1980s as a strategic military airlifter for the USSR.
Both Ukraine and Russia have used the giant quad-engine freighter in the ongoing war effort.

The world's largest airplane, the Antonov An-225 "Myria", was destroyed in February 2022 after Russia's attack on Hostomel Airport near Ukraine's capital of Kyiv.

Ukraine has been busy salvaging what it can of the jet since March 2023, with three engines actually being repaired and sent to the fleet of An-225's sister jet: the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, a heavy-lift plane operated mostly by Russian and Ukrainian carriers.

Take a look at the giant aircraft, which has faced serious headwinds since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Originally built as a heavy strategic airlifter for the USSR, the Ukrainian-made An-124 took its first flight in December 1982 and eventually entered the Soviet Air Forces in 1986.

The An-124 flying in 1987.Jean Guichard/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Originally built as a heavy strategic airlifter for the USSR, the Ukrainian-made An-124 took its first flight in December 1982 and eventually entered the Soviet Air Forces in 1986.

Several versions of the Ruslan have since been produced, like the AN-124-100 commercial transport plane and the 150-tonne payload AN-124-100M-150 variant.

An Antonov An-124.Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Designed to carry awkward and oversized objects, the huge planes are powered by four Ukrainian-made Progress D-18T engines and sport a total of 24 wheels.

A helicopter being loaded into an An-124.Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

What makes its missions easier is the plane's unique nose-loading door — something that was also incorporated on the Myria.

Officials empty an Antonov An-124 after landing in Turkey in 2018.Sergen Sezgin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Ruslan has earned a number of Guinness World Records over the decades, carrying odd objects like generators and trains.

The train an An-124 carried in 1994.Antonov

Only about half of the 55 An-124s built between 1982 and 2014 are still in service — most of them flying for Russia or Ukraine.

Some of Ukraine's An-124-100 cargo jets parked in Germany for loading, service and maintenance in May 2022. Production of the An-124 ended in 2014.Kyryl Gorlov/iStock

Now that the Myria is gone, the An-124 aircraft has become the world's largest civil freighter — boasting a 10,000-tonne greater cargo hold compared to the C-5M Super Galaxy.

The An-124 was used to carry medical supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak.JP Black/LightRocket via Getty Images

Now that the Myria is gone, the An-124 aircraft has become the world's largest civil freighter — boasting a 10,000-tonne greater cargo hold compared to the C-5M Super Galaxy.

However, the An-124 fleet across both Russia and Ukraine has faced significant challenges since the war began.

A Russian military officer stands by an Antonov An-124 Ruslan at an airport in central France on July 20, 2018.ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images

According to Antonov, one of its An-124-100s was destroyed at Hostomel, while another was damaged and taken out of service for further evaluation.

Damaged to one of Antonov's An-124 aircraft in the aftermath of the attack on Hostomel.Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Russia has also faced a string of challenges, including four of its An-124s being seized in Canada and Germany.

The Volga Dnepr Airlines Antonov An-124 grounded in Toronto in June 2022.Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Even though Ukraine has lost a few of its An-124s, the Ruslan is still an important asset in the ongoing war effort.

Aviation enthusiasts watch Antonov Airlines An-124-100 UR-82029 land at East Midlands Airport in the UK on July 26, 2020.Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

And, although the Myria is now out of commission, it's still able to support the An-124 fleet thanks to some salvageable parts.

The An-225 as it looked on August 10 after being destroyed by Russia.Igor Lesiv/aerovokzal.net

Several other parts from the An-225 have also been saved, which the country hopes can one day be used to rebuild the beloved Myria.

The six-engine Myria when it was still flying.GLEB GARANICH/Reuters

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Russia destroyed the world's largest airplane, but its smaller sibling survives &mdash; meet the An-124

Originally built as a heavy strategic airlifter for the USSR, the Ukrainian-made An-124 took its first flight in December 1982 and eventually entered the Soviet Air Forces in 1986.

Several versions of the Ruslan have since been produced, like the AN-124-100 commercial transport plane and the 150-tonne payload AN-124-100M-150 variant.

Designed to carry awkward and oversized objects, the huge planes are powered by four Ukrainian-made Progress D-18T engines and sport a total of 24 wheels.

What makes its missions easier is the plane's unique nose-loading door — something that was also incorporated on the Myria.

The Ruslan has earned a number of Guinness World Records over the decades, carrying odd objects like generators and trains.

Only about half of the 55 An-124s built between 1982 and 2014 are still in service — most of them flying for Russia or Ukraine.

Now that the Myria is gone, the An-124 aircraft has become the world's largest civil freighter — boasting a 10,000-tonne greater cargo hold compared to the C-5M Super Galaxy.

However, the An-124 fleet across both Russia and Ukraine has faced significant challenges since the war began.

According to Antonov, one of its An-124-100s was destroyed at Hostomel, while another was damaged and taken out of service for further evaluation.

Russia has also faced a string of challenges, including four of its An-124s being seized in Canada and Germany.

Even though Ukraine has lost a few of its An-124s, the Ruslan is still an important asset in the ongoing war effort.

And, although the Myria is now out of commission, it's still able to support the An-124 fleet thanks to some salvageable parts.

Several other parts from the An-225 have also been saved, which the country hopes can one day be used to rebuild the beloved Myria.

Russia destroyed the world's largest airplane, but its smaller sibling survives — meet the An-124