One of Ukraine’s most renowned transport aircraft, the An-124-100 “Ruslan,” has been successfully relocated from Ukraine to Germany. This marks the conclusion of a complex, years-long project to deeply modernize the An-124-100 (serial number 0706), carried out by the state enterprise JSC “ANTONOV”.
The aircraft, originally built in 1994, has a long operational history – over 21,000 flight hours and more than 5,500 completed flights. Its modernization began in 2021 as part of an extensive deep upgrade project. The primary goal was to completely eliminate reliance on Russian-made components, which were deemed unacceptable. During the upgrade, Russian parts were replaced with modern equivalents produced by manufacturers in Ukraine and Western countries.
The implementation of this critical project was complicated by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. At the onset of the conflict, the aircraft was in a disassembled state. Despite these extremely challenging circumstances, specialists at Antonov managed not only to preserve the plane but also to gradually resume the modernization work. Despite all difficulties, the upgrade was completed in June 2025.
The relocation of the modernized “Ruslan” to Germany carried dual significance. On one hand, it was a practical measure to ensure the aircraft’s safety at a secure airport; on the other, it served as a strong demonstration of Ukraine’s capability to maintain and upgrade its aviation assets even during wartime. The upgraded “Ruslan” will continue its operations, now serving Ukraine on international routes.
The company emphasizes that Antonov’s current aviation fleet is maintained under secure conditions, in accordance with their internal safety protocols.
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Source: facebook
