Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand revealed the government’s efforts to initiate the forfeiture process of a Russian cargo plane that has been stranded at Toronto Pearson International Airport for an extended period. Anand emphasized that untangling the complex ownership structure of the Antonov aircraft has been a challenging legal endeavor intertwined with the objective of supporting Ukraine in its time of crisis.
The Antonov An-124, a massive aircraft, has been grounded in Toronto since February 2022 when it was engaged by the Canadian government to transport COVID-19 rapid test kits from China. Subsequently, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canada closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft, preventing the Antonov from departing.
Anand described the situation surrounding the seized plane as intricate and explained that legal possession was taken to prevent its potential use against Ukraine. The government has been pursuing forfeiture through court proceedings, serving notices to the various entities associated with the aircraft, with one entity remaining elusive, necessitating further legal action.
In response, Russia has condemned the seizure as “shameless theft,” and the airline operating the plane, Volga-Dnepr, has indicated its intention to contest the forfeiture through a bilateral investment agreement. If the forfeiture is successful, Canada plans to return the Antonov to Ukraine, acknowledging the country’s need to replenish its Antonov fleet after Russian attacks destroyed some of its aircraft.
Despite the efforts to secure the cargo plane’s forfeiture, the complex nature of the case raises uncertainties about when the aircraft may come under the possession of the Canadian government.
