Suche
Mein Konto
Russia's frustration over escaped Antonov An-124: An aerial horror!
Leipzig becomes the hub for Antonov An-124 aircraft, while Russian aircraft are idle there.
Russia's frustration over escaped Antonov An-124: An aerial horror!
On July 11th at 2:38 p.m. local time, the Antonov An-124 with the registration number UR-82073 landed at Leipzig-Halle Airport. The aircraft belongs to Antonov Airlines and has been parked in Kiev-Svyatoshyn since March 2021 for maintenance work. Given the current geopolitical situation, this landing is of particular interest. The airspace over Ukraine has been closed to civilian flights since February 24, 2022, making the circumstances of approaches particularly complicated.
On that day, the An-124 flew to the Polish-Ukrainian border without a transponder signal and was only traceable in Polish airspace. Eyewitnesses reported the An-124 flying low over Kiev, which surprised the Russian army. Critics in Russia said it was a failure to destroy the An-124 on the ground or shoot it down after takeoff. The Telegram channel “Fighterbomber” described the unnoticed evacuation as a “sad incident” for Russian intelligence.
Russia's aviation in crisis
Meanwhile, a Russian cargo plane, a Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124, has been stuck in Canada for three years. The Canadian government plans to hand over the plane to Ukraine, which has been heavily criticized by Russia and the airline. This An-124 had transported Covid tests from China to Toronto in late February 2022, shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine began. While in Canada, the government closed airspace to Russian planes, which trapped the plane.
In June 2023, then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the handover to Ukraine, while the Russian Foreign Ministry called it a "cynical theft." The Russian military continues to use the An-124, while Ukraine's Antonov Airlines operates the aircraft civilly. After the destruction of the An-225 Mrija, the big sister of the An-124, in the Battle of Hostomel, the situation has become even more precarious.
Current status of the An-124 fleet
Antonov Airlines now has six active An-124s again after the UR-82073 was equipped with modernized avionics and modified engines. These new engines have serrated thrusters to reduce noise emissions. Experts suspect that the An-124 may have flown to Leipzig for the certification of its modifications, which is expected to make it an important part of Antonov Airlines' regular fleet.
In contrast, three Volga-Dnepr An-124s, also located in Leipzig, are not airworthy and have not been serviced for a long time. This is in stark contrast to the Ukrainian An-124s, which operate worldwide from Leipzig. Cooperation between NATO and the Volga-Dnepr ended in 2018, and Western states have imposed sanctions on Russian companies. This situation has significantly weakened the Russian aviation industry and severely affected the operations of the An-124.
The developments surrounding the Antonov An-124 reflect the larger crisis in the two countries' aviation industries and are another example of the complicated geopolitical tensions in the region. In addition to military conflicts, the fate of these iconic aircraft remains highly influenced by economic and diplomatic considerations.