MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Export supplies of MC-21 passenger jets to non-CIS countries, including Malaysia, may start in 2023, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said on Monday on the air with the Rossiya-24 TV Channel.

"Commercial deliveries will start in 2021. We will start deliveries to Russian operators and CIS countries at first. Customers from non-CIS countries are in the portfolio of orders but [deliveries] will target 2023-2024. These are countries of Southeast Asia and Malaysia," Manturov said.

The MC-21, a Russian medium-haul single-aisle passenger plane, is being developed and manufactured by the Irkut Corporation (with UAC being its majority stakeholder). The MC-21-300 (seating from 163 to 211) made its maiden flight in late May 2017. It is also planned to manufacture two more modifications, namely MC-21-200 seating from 132 to 165 passengers and MC-21-400 with up to 250 seats.

The plane is currently undergoing trials and will be certified in Russia in 2020. The Russian certificate will be later validated for the European market.