The world's largest cargo plane, the Ukrainian-made Antonov-225 Mriya, was reportedly destroyed amid Russia's continued strikes in Ukraine. 

Ukraine's state-owned aerospace and defense company, Ukroboronprom group made the announcement.

"Russian invaders destroyed the flagship of the Ukrainian aviation, the AN-225" at the Antonov airport in Gostomel near Kyiv, the group said in a statement on February 27, few days since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine on February 24.

The group said at the time of invasion, the aircraft was under repair, so it did not have time to be moved out of Ukraine.

"As of morning of February 24, the biggest cargo airplane was under repair and routine maintenance at the ANTONOV Company site in Gostomel," Ukroboronprom said in an update on the same day.  "Russian occupiers destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation — the legendary An-225 'Mriya'. This happened at the Antonov airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv, where the plane was."

The group noted that it will cost over US$3 billion to restore the cargo plane.

"According to the director of Antonov Airlines, one of the engines was dismantled for repairs and the plane wasn’t able to take off that day, although the appropriate commands were given," the group further said.

"Currently it is impossible to assess the plane's condition and the possibility and cost of its restoring due the lack of access to the aircraft as the control over the airport is taken by the Russian occupiers," it added.