Legal dispute between Ottawa and Russian owner keeps Antonov An-124 stranded in Mississauga
One of the world’s largest cargo aircraft has now spent four years parked at Toronto Pearson Airport, becoming an unmistakable landmark for drivers passing along Highway 427 in Mississauga.
The Russian-owned Antonov An-124 has remained on the tarmac since Feb. 27, 2022, after Canada closed its airspace to Russian-owned aircraft in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Standing approximately 70 feet tall, stretching 225 feet in length and boasting a wingspan of about 240 feet, the Antonov An-124 is considered the largest mass-produced cargo plane in the world. For four years — 1,461 days including the 2024 leap year — it has remained grounded at the country’s busiest airport.
The aircraft sits near a fence along Silver Dart Drive, just steps from the heavily travelled highway, where it has become a point of curiosity for commuters and aviation watchers alike.
The plane was briefly moved within the airport last September, prompting speculation among observers. At the time, a federal government spokesperson said the repositioning was carried out strictly for maintenance purposes.
The legal battle over the aircraft’s fate continues. Canada formally seized the plane on June 8, 2023, and has since pursued forfeiture proceedings. A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed this week that the process, which began in March 2025, remains ongoing, with next steps dependent on legislation and court rulings.
Ottawa has indicated its intention to transfer the aircraft to Ukraine as part of military aid. During a 2023 visit to Kyiv, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the seized plane would be handed over so it could not be used by Russia again.
However, the registered owner, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, has challenged the seizure. The company reportedly initiated discussions with Ottawa in 2023 seeking the aircraft’s return, and the matter has since moved through Canadian courts.
When it arrived in Mississauga in February 2022, the Antonov An-124 was transporting COVID-19 test kits from China, travelling via Russia and Anchorage, Alaska, where it reportedly stopped for refuelling.
Until the legal proceedings conclude, the towering cargo jet appears set to remain in place — a visible reminder at Toronto Pearson of the broader geopolitical conflict unfolding thousands of kilometres away.