Ukraine to Get Russian AN-124 Ruslan Aircraft Confiscated by Canada

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Canada would transfer an AN-124 Ruslan aircraft that was confiscated from the Russians.

A high-level delegation from Ukraine recently visited Canada when this matter was discussed, Shmyhal said in a Facebook post Sunday.

Canada and the United States have both imposed fresh sanctions against Russia.

In addition to the aircraft, Canada will transfer other assets of the Russian company Volga-Dnepr in favor of Ukraine.

“A new package of sanctions against Russia from Canada. In particular, against the Volga-Dnepr. We are preparing to confiscate the An-124 aircraft and other assets of the aggressor in Canada and transfer them to Ukraine,” the Prime Minister said.

As per Ukrainian media, Kyiv initiated the arrest of Volga-Dnepr’s An-124 aircraft last year. In April 2022, the court arrested 12 An-124-100 planes of a Russian airline as part of a criminal proceeding opened at the request of the Antonov State Enterprise.

According to the decisions, three An-124-100 aircraft were banned from leaving Germany, one from Canada.

The arrest was made in order to ensure the preservation of physical evidence and subsequent compensation for damages.

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) reportedly illegally granted the right to the company, which is part of the Volga-Dnepr group of companies, to issue airworthiness certificates for An-124 aircraft.

In fact, in recent years, Volga-Dnepr has issued certificates to itself, jeopardizing the safe operation of aircraft, which is a violation of the provisions of international conventions, reports claimed.

Aircraft are subject to transfer to the management of the Ukrainian National Agency for the detection, search, and management of assets received from corruption and other crimes.