The Canadian government has ordered the seizure a Russian aircraft that has been grounded at Toronto Pearson International Airport since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The federal government announced the planned seizure of the Antonov 124 on Saturday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a surprise visit to Kyiv.
Officials said the plane will be taken as a direct response to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. “Today, we are demonstrating that Russia’s actions continue to have consequences,” transport minister Omar Alghabra said in a statement Saturday. “We stand with Ukraine and will take any and all necessary actions, including this seizure, to put pressure on President Putin.” The massive Russian cargo plane has sat on the tarmac at Toronto’s main airport since Canada banned Russian aircraft from entering its airspace in February 2022.
In an April Facebook post, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said he understood Canada was “preparing for (the) confiscation of the AN-124” and that it, along with other assets, it would be transferred to Ukraine.