A Russian Antonov An-124 freighter aircraft that has been stuck in Canada for more than three years was recently seen on the move at 
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), with the huge jet reportedly being briefly transferred across the airfield for maintenance. The plane has been stranded in the Canadian city since February of 2022, following the closure of the country’s airspace to Russian jets.
Just over a year after the arrival of the Antonov An-124 in Toronto, the plane was seized by the Canadian government, and, with no end in sight as far as Russia’s ongoing military action in Ukraine is concerned, its recent transfer marked its first movement in almost two years. Let’s take a closer look at the story.
Moved For Maintenance
According to recent reports by CTV News, footage has emerged on social media of the Volga-Dnepr Airlines freighter briefly taxiing across the apron at Toronto Pearson International Airport last week. This, the publication asserts, represents the first time that it has moved in 43 months, or almost two years.
Naturally, this prompted considerable curiosity among the online avgeek community as to the potential for the cargo quadjet to get back in the air. In reality, however, as noted by RuAviation, the plane was simply briefly relocated to another part of the airport for a technical inspection. While it has now returned to its parking position, work on the jet is expected to continue until September 29. An airport spokesperson said:
“The aircraft was moved last week for a few hours to another location on airport grounds for routine checks led by the federal government.”
Stranded In Toronto: The Story So Far
The curious tale of Toronto Pearson International Airport’s unexpected visitor began back in February of 2022, when the Volga-Dnepr Airlines jet, which bears the registration RA-82078, touched down in the Canadian city carrying a shipment of COVID-19 test kits. However, shortly after its arrival, Canada officially closed its airspace to Russian aircraft and their operators in response to its military invasion of Ukraine.
As reported by Simple Flying at the time, by June of 2022, the stranded aircraft had already accumulated more than $100,000 in parking fees, and, a year later, things went from bad to worse for the plane and its operator, as the Canadian government moved to seize it. According to aeroTELEGRAPH, the reason for this was the concern that Russia could use the jet for military transport purposes.
More than two years later, the aircraft remains stranded at Toronto Pearson International Airport. It seems as though, while it has at least been on the move across the apron in recent times, the inspections being carried out don’t necessarily indicate that it will return to the skies any time soon. As noted in our coverage below, it has now been stuck there for so long that it appears on Google Maps’ aerial view!
What Happens Next?
According to current fleet data made available by ch-aviation, the Antonov An-124-100 in question, RA-82078, is 30 years old, having reportedly first flown back in 1995. It was delivered to Volga-Dnepr Airlines a year later, in September of 1996, and continued to serve the carrier until its Canadian stranding. As far as what the jet’s future holds, CTV News Toronto quotes Global Affairs Canada as stating:
“The Attorney General of Canada sought the issuance of a Notice of Application for forfeiture of the aircraft from the Superior Court of Ontario on March 18, 2025.”
In terms of the aircraft’s next steps, the publication adds that “relevant legislation and court processes” will be used to determine its future.
Russia’s embassy in Canada has warned against the permanent confiscation of the aircraft, arguing that to do so would impact bilateral relations between the two countries.
With Canada’s opposition to Russia’s ongoing military action in Ukraine, and the subsequent sanctions that it has imposed, these are not at their best in any case. Still, Canadian law dictates that parties interested in seized property have a right to present evidence as part of the legal proceedings surrounding such assets. As such, it will be interesting to see what sort of case is put forward for the seized jet.
