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Antonov An-124 departs Kyiv after three-year grounding amid ongoing conflict

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Antonov An-124 departs Kyiv after three-year grounding amid ongoing conflict
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Antonov An-124 | Wikipedia

An Antonov An-124 aircraft, owned by Antonov Airlines, has departed from Kyiv, Ukraine, after being grounded for over three years. The aircraft arrived in Leipzig, Germany, on July 11. This movement is notable as it is one of the few instances of an aircraft leaving Ukraine amid Russia's full-scale invasion.

Previously, two Turkish Air Force Airbus A400M planes and a Wizz Air Airbus A320 had also left Ukraine under similar circumstances. The An-124, registered as UR-82073, took off from Kyiv to Leipzig Halle Airport (LEJ), where Antonov Airlines relocated its operations following the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Flightradar24 data shows that the cargo plane activated its transponder near the Polish-Ukrainian border at around 14:17 local time. After flying for over an hour, it crossed into Germany and landed in Leipzig at approximately 14:33 local time.

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According to Planespotters.net, UR-82073 is now the sixth An-124 based in Leipzig. The other five were outside Ukraine when the invasion began, allowing Antonov Airlines to continue its air cargo operations despite the conflict.

Before moving to Leipzig, UR-82073 was stored at Kyiv Sviatoshyn Airfield. Another An-124 belonging to Antonov Airlines was damaged during the early days of the invasion when Russian forces attempted but failed to capture Hostomel Airport.

The conflict also led to the destruction of the iconic An-225 Mriya aircraft at Hostomel Airport. Meanwhile, another An-124 from Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines may be returned to Ukraine due to Western sanctions against Russia. This aircraft has been stuck at Toronto Pearson International Airport since February 2022.

In June 2023, Canada announced plans to seize this An-124 as part of sanctions against Volga-Dnepr Group. Canada stated that if forfeited, they would work with Ukraine on options for redistributing this asset.

Additionally, Wizz Air moved an A320ceo from Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport to Katowice Airport in September 2022.

Organizations Included in this History
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