Some of the symbols of the Ukrainian war and resistance, the Antonov An225 Mriya and the Bayraktar drone, have become stuffed animals and are loved by children.
The An225, the iconic and emblematic largest aircraft in the world for decades, was destroyed during the conflict, in Russia’s second attempt to seize Gostomel Airport, Antonov’s operating base on the outskirts of Kyiv. Although Antonov said it assesses the plane’s damage, it’s virtually certain they’re beyond repair. Yet the plane that bears “dream” in its name remains a symbol of resistance.
ToysKopitsa, a toy manufacturer, started making and selling An225 plush toys to children, most of whom have never seen the plane, the country’s greatest symbol.
Other stuffed animals such as the USmade Javelin antitank missile and Turkey’s Bayraktar drone, two key weapons for Ukraine’s defense, will also be sold. According to the manufacturer’s website, the plush toys will sell for the equivalent of R$34 to R$53 but are not yet available in the country.
Other symbols of the resistance, like the farm tractors seen towing abandoned Russian armored vehicles, have also become childish images.
News of the plush toy sale went viral on the networks after a Ukrainian mother saw them in a store and decided to buy an An225 for her daughter. A photo was shared on Twitter, along with an explanation of the importance of the gesture and a wish that her daughter will always have a Mriya, which means “dream” in Ukrainian.
Mriyas and spears: new Ukrainian toys. I bought a Mriya for my kid because every kid must have a dream pic.twitter.com/h4hkfMVaEp
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) April 17, 2022