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Resumption of Antonov-124 jumbo jet project with Ukraine grounded - trade ministry

Two other aircraft-building program - for the Antonov-148 passenger plane with final assembly operations in Voronezh, and Antonov-158 in Kiev were still effective

ULYANOVSK, August 16 /ITAR-TASS/. Plans for resuming the production and upgrade of the Antonov-124 jumbo jet Ruslan, which Russian and Ukrainian aircraft builders have mulled for the past few years have been grounded indefinitely, if not forever, a senior Russian government official has said.

Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Yuri Slusar told the media on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Forum-2014 on Friday the current political situation was the reason.

“I am very sorry... The project for resuming the production and upgrade of the unique plane Ruslan is off the agenda. That’s too bad. The niches that the Ukrainians and we might have taken... Designers there and producers here... Such chances and opportunities are very few to go around. In the world technological race such competences are in great demand. Any engineering company can merely dream of having them.”

At the same time Slusar said two other aircraft-building program - for the Antonov-148 passenger plane with final assembly operations in Voronezh, and Antonov-158 in Kiev were still effective.