Antonov Flies Modernized An-124 to Germany After Deep Upgrade in Wartime Ukraine

Antonov has officially confirmed that its An-124-100 Ruslan cargo aircraft, tail number UR-82073, which took off from Kyiv on July 11, 2025, had undergone a comprehensive modernization before being transferred to Germany.

Renamed “Be brave like Irpin”, the aircraft landed at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where Antonov Airlines has operated its main international base since 2022.

The flight raised eyebrows, as Ukraine’s airspace has been closed to civilian aviation since February 2022. According to Antonov, UR-82073 had been stored in a disassembled state at Sviatoshyn Airfield in Kyiv since the early days of the Russian invasion.

The modernization project, started in 2021, aimed to replace key Russian components with parts made in Ukraine and the West but was interrupted by the war.

Despite the challenges, Antonov’s engineers completed the work in June 2025. The aircraft was updated with new avionics and navigation systems that meet current ICAO standards and also received a symbolic livery bearing the phrase honoring the defenders of Irpin, a town west of Kyiv that played a crucial role early in the war.

Built in 1994, UR-82073 has logged over 21,000 flight hours and 5,500 takeoffs and landings. It can carry payloads of up to 120 tons, and in specially modified versions, up to 150 tons. The upgraded Condor now rejoins Antonov Airlines’ active fleet of five An-124-100s, all based in Germany.

Antonov emphasized that the aircraft’s return to service is a symbol of the resilience and skill of Ukraine’s aerospace industry. The overnight flight out of Kyiv also sparked criticism from Russian milbloggers, who questioned how such a large aircraft was able to escape undetected.

https://twitter.com/AntonovCompany/status/1945455274631831607

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