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KIEV, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the maiden flight of An-225 Mriya -- the world's longest and heaviest airplane ever built.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko tweeted that since being put into operation on Dec. 21, 1988, the plane has set 240 aviation records.
Developed by Antonov design bureau in Kiev in the 1980s, Mriya is powered by six turbofan engines. The aircraft is capable of carrying up to 640 tons of cargo, including large vehicles and equipment.
It has a wingspan of 88.4 meters, which is larger than any aircraft in operational service.
Earlier this year, Mriya undergone modernization -- the aircraft was fitted with a new navigation system and some new electronic equipment.
