A legal and geopolitical battle is unfolding in Canada over the fate of a massive AN-124 cargo aircraft, currently grounded in Toronto since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Canadian government has initiated proceedings to seize the aircraft from its Russian owner, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, with the aim of transferring it to Ukraine.
The aircraft, one of the world’s largest cargo planes, has been parked at Pearson International Airport for more than two years under sanctions imposed on Russian assets following the invasion.
Ottawa has now moved to take legal ownership, making it the first Western government to attempt such a transfer of a Russian aviation asset to Ukraine.
Volga-Dnepr, the Russian cargo airline that owns the plane, has launched multiple lawsuits in an effort to stop the handover.
The company maintains that the aircraft remains its property and that Canada has no legal basis for its seizure.
Russia’s foreign ministry condemned the move, calling the proposed transfer to Ukraine “cynical and shameless.”
However, with diplomatic ties between Ottawa and Moscow strained and growing Western support for Kyiv, experts say the chances of the aircraft being returned to Russia are slim.
Should the legal process succeed, the AN-124 would become a significant asset for Ukraine’s heavily pressured logistics and defence infrastructure, providing much-needed heavy-lift air capability.
The case is being closely watched by the global air cargo industry, as it could set a precedent for the handling of Russian-owned aviation assets stranded in Western countries.