A little news a little same old/same old.
Russian Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 Impounded In Canada
The aircraft arrived in Toronto just under two weeks ago.
Following sanctions issued against Russia amid the country's ongoing military invasion of Ukraine, Canadian authorities have impounded an Antonov An-124 flown by Volga-Dnepr Airlines. The Ukrainian-built cargo jet has flown for the Russian airfreight specialist for its entire career, and was in Canada to deliver COVID tests.
Seized in Toronto
Reports have emerged of a Russian-registered Antonov An-124 being sized by Canadian authorities after finding itself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The country, like many others around the world, has issued sanctions against Russia due to its present aggression in Ukraine, as well as banning its airlines and aircraft.
According to ch-aviation.com, the aircraft in question bears the registration RA-82078. Clocking in at 27.21 years old, the aircraft presently flies for Ulyanovsk-based Russian cargo carrier Volga-Dnepr Airlines, and has done so consistently since its delivery there in September 1996. It arrived in Canada at the end of last month.
Specifically, ch-aviation reports that it came to the country carrying a shipment of COVID-19 testing kits ordered from China. Data from FlightRadar24.com shows that the last leg of this journey took it from Anchorage to Toronto, arriving on February 27th. Following Canada's airspace ban on Russian carriers and aircraft, the country impounded it a day later in Toronto, where it has remained ever since.
It has now been nearly two weeks since the Antonov An-124 arrived in Canada and was impounded by the country's authorities. Enough time has passed for ch-aviation to change the aircraft's status on its database from 'active' to 'stored.' It is difficult to know when sanctions might lift, so it could be in for a long wait.
That being said, Volga-Dnepr Airlines is reportedly working to secure the aircraft's return. This would either require an end or an exemption to Canada's ban on Russian planes and operators. According to ch-aviation, it said in a statement that it is engaging in the "settlement of all formalities to be able to fly to its home base." The operator also confirmed the reason for the An-124's journey, stating:
"Volga-Dnepr Airlines operated a series of charters in the interests of the Canadian government delivering vital Covid-19-related products from China.”
Taking sanctions seriously
This isn't the first instance of Canada strictly applying its sanctions against Russia in recent times. Indeed, Simple Flying reported last week that it had blocked a private jet from departing Yellowknife Airport (YZF) in the country's Northwest Territories. The reason for this was the fact that it had Russian passengers onboard.
Technically, the aircraft also shouldn't have been permitted to enter Canada in the first place. However, the nationalities of its passengers reportedly only became clear after border officials met the plane upon its arrival in Yellowknife from Geneva.