Airlines
Russia's Volga-Dnepr Ends Freight JV with Ukraine's Antonov
Volga-Dnepr is a leading operator of Antonov An-124 heavylifters.
In addition to the An-124, the Volga-Dnepr Airlines fleet includes Ilyushin Il-76s, as well as Boeing 747s and 7373s. [Photo: Volga-Dnepr]
In addition to the An-124, the Volga-Dnepr Airlines fleet includes Ilyushin Il-76s, as well as Boeing 747s and 7373s. [Photo: Volga-Dnepr]

The full reasons for the separation between Russian freight carrier Volga-Dnepr Airlines and the Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines remain unclear almost a week after the former announced it would end their 10-year-old Ruslan International joint venture from Dec. 31, 2016. Through Ruslan, the partners operate specialist charter flights carrying bulky items of cargo in Antonov An-124-100 widebodies, and the arrangement has continued since tensions erupted between the Ukraine and Russia over the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region in 2014.


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