Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand revealed that the government is navigating through a complicated process to pursue the forfeiture of a Russian cargo plane that has been stranded at Toronto Pearson International Airport for an extended period. Anand emphasized that this legal endeavor is intertwined with assisting Ukraine during its current challenges.
The seized Antonov An-124, a massive aircraft, has been stationed at the airport since February 2022. Originally tasked with transporting COVID-19 rapid test kits from China for the Canadian government, the plane was grounded when Canada closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Anand highlighted the intricate ownership structure of the aircraft, which has required significant time to unravel due to the complex corporate arrangements employed by the owners. The government’s objective is to return the Antonov to Ukraine once the forfeiture process is successfully completed.
Russia has denounced the seizure as “a cynical and shameless theft,” with Volga-Dnepr, the Russian airline operating the plane, initiating formal dispute procedures with the Canadian government. While the legal possession of the aircraft has been maintained by Canada since the invasion of Ukraine to prevent its potential use against the country, the forfeiture process involves serving notice to the Russian oligarchs who own the plane.
Despite ongoing efforts by the Canadian government to navigate the legal complexities of the case, it remains uncertain when the cargo plane will be officially transferred to federal possession. Anand emphasized the significance of potentially replenishing Ukraine’s Antonov fleet, given the destruction of some of its aircraft by Russia at the conflict’s outset.
In a parallel legal track, Volga-Dnepr is leveraging a 1989 bilateral investment agreement between Russia and Canada to pursue damages. The government’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in this manner underscores the broader geopolitical implications of the aircraft’s forfeiture.