Upgraded Antonov cargo jet flies over Kyiv for first time
Civilian aircraft spotted over Kyiv, Ukraine (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov has completed the modernization of the An-124-100 Ruslan cargo plane and relocated it to Germany, according to the company's press service.
According to the company, the aircraft's modernization began in 2021 with the goal of replacing Russian components with Ukrainian and Western-made parts.
However, the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 partially halted the work, as the aircraft was in a disassembled state at the time.
The modernization was completed in June 2025. On July 11, 2025, the Ruslan was safely transferred to Germany.
"It was this aircraft that was spotted over Kyiv that day. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian airspace has been closed to civilian aircraft," the statement said.
What happened before
A few days ago, a civilian aircraft was spotted flying over Kyiv, sparking major buzz on social media. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian airspace has been closed to non-military aviation, making such sightings highly unusual.
Earlier, in February, a representative of Boryspil International Airport said they were ready to resume passenger flights within a month of Ukraine reopening its airspace.
RBC-Ukraine previously published a detailed report outlining what would be needed to make that possible.
