MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - Production of aircraft similar to the Antonov An-124 in Russia makes sense and is absolutely feasible without Ukraine's participation, according to Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Chairman Viktor Bondarev, the former Russian Aerospace Forces commander.
"The manufacture of An-124 airplanes in Russia is quite possible without Ukrainian participation. The Ulyanovsk Aircraft Plant has sufficient capacity and intellectual and technical resources for that," Bondarev told Interfax on Wednesday.
Resuming batch production of the An-124 makes sense, he said.
"It [the aircraft] will definitely have a different name. Progress has taken a big step forward. It will be an absolutely new aircraft and purely Russian-made - designed by our designers. Everything will be replaced in it: new navigations equipment, new engines," Bondarev said.