The Antonov company today provided new details about its massive An-124-100 Ruslan (NATO reporting name Condor) cargo jet that mysteriously appeared in the highly restricted skies of Kyiv last week. The jet caused a stir because only military aircraft and limited government and rescue helicopter flights are allowed over Kyiv after Russia’s full-on invasion. Since then, runways have been blocked to prevent Russian landing attempts, and international transportation to and from the Ukrainian capital has been conducted by train. You can read more about the flight of the Condor in our original story here.
Condors have been used by the U.S. and other nations to move military supplies, including weapons provided to Ukraine and other outsized loads. The jets, one of the world’s largest aircraft, have been a source of pride in Ukraine, where they were manufactured.
As we suspected, we now know that this particular aircraft, tail number UR-82073, flew from the Antonov repair facility in Kyiv to the company’s new headquarters in Leipzig, Germany on Friday. The flight was launched after completion of a four-year modernization effort, the company explained on Facebook. That work began before the outbreak of the all-out invasion of Ukraine.
You can see the jet taxi and take off from Kyiv and land to a water cannon salute in Leipzig in the following video.
This Condor, built in 1994, had more than 21,000 flying hours over more than 5,500 flights when the Russians attacked on Feb. 24, 2022, according to Antonov. The goal of the repair work was to replace main components manufactured in Russia with more modern ones made in Ukraine and the West.
When Russian forces tried to take Kyiv, the Condor was in a “disassembled state,” Antonov noted.
The company’s headquarters and at least one Condor in relatively decent condition were destroyed at Hostomel Airport during the opening battle when the Russians tried to take the airfield as a staging ground to attack Kyiv. It was during this fight that the biggest aircraft in the world at the time, the beloved An-225 known affectionately as Mriya, and a direct cousin of the An-124, was also destroyed. However, UR-82073 was located at Antonov’s repair facility in Kyiv and was spared destruction.
Still, as a result of “the full-scale aggression of Russia,” Antonov said it initially ordered a partial suspension of the modernization effort. However, the work ultimately continued.
“Even in the most difficult conditions of the war, the team of JSC ‘ANTONOV’ was able to resume work and complete the modernization in June 2025,” the company noted.
As part of the refurbishing, the jet’s livery included the phrase “Be Brave Like Irpin” emblazoned under the cockpit. It is a reference to the pivotal fight along the Irpin River in the early days of the all-out war that helped keep the Russians from advancing into Kyiv.
UR-82073 is one of a number of Condors owned and operated by Antonov Airlines, a subdivision of the company specializing in international cargo transportation.
The AN-124-100 “can load shipments weighing up to 120,000kg (264,555lbs),” the company pointed out. “However, two of Antonov Airlines’ seven AN-124-100s have been modified to accept 150,000kg (330,693lbs) payloads.”
Designated AN-124-100M, “Antonov Airlines’ modernized versions boast upgraded navigation systems (P-RNAV) and fully comply with the latest ICAO avionics and noise regulations, meaning that they can operate globally and without restriction,” the company added.
When the modernization work was completed, UR-82073 took off for Germany, sparking curiosity and wonderment from surprised Ukrainians. Meanwhile, several Russian milbloggers expressed disgust that the Condor was not blown up on the ground or shot out of the sky.
It is worth noting that any aircraft that large would have given off enough signatures for the Russians to easily spot it, at least if it climbed to higher altitudes (especially if no A-50 is up). Actually hunting it down is another challenge altogether. That the An-124 was able to take off from Kyiv and fly over Ukrainian airspace unscathed is a bone of contention for the popular Fighterbomber Telegram channel.
“A sad event, of course. For our intelligence first and foremost,” stated Fighterbomber on Friday. The channel is closely tied to Russian military aviation. “The sad thing here is not that the An-124 arrived, but that it was able to leave intact and unharmed. It arrived, of course, at night, later, when our agents are asleep.”
In the hours after UR-82073 flew over Kyiv, some Russian Telegram channels claimed it had flown out of Dnipro, ahead of an expected Russian advance. In our story about that flight, we noted it was “most likely that the aircraft in question had been stranded in Ukraine since 2022 and took off from the Svyatoshino airport in Kyiv. That’s the headquarters of the Antonov Serial Production Plant.”
Satellite imagery obtained by The War Zone backed up this assertion. Taken July 2 by Planet Labs, the image shows that there were two relatively intact An-124s on the apron at the time. One in particular seems to have been active, with the aircraft moving to the runway on July 5th.
On Wednesday, after Antonov officials revealed what really happened, they expressed pride in what they accomplished.
“The relocation of [the Condor] became not just a technical solution, but a symbol of the stability, professionalism and unity of Ukrainian aircraft manufacturers, the company proclaimed. The improved jet ‘will continue to fly and serve Ukraine on the international route.”’
The completion of the An-124’s modernization work was a bright moment of hope for Ukrainians at a very difficult time. However, given the nature of the war, it may be quite some time before another Condor flight is spotted over Kyiv.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com