- An Antonov-124, registered as RA-82078 and operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines (VDA), has been grounded at Pearson Airport since February 27, 2022.
- The NOTAM issued by Transport Canada on February 27, 2022, prohibits the entry, overflight, or exit from Canadian territorial airspace by Russian-owned, chartered or operated aircraft.
- As such, the current NOTAM would prohibit the aircraft from flying in Canada’s territorial airspace, and by extension, from departing Pearson Airport.
SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGES
- To date, the operator would need to send maintenance personnel to Pearson Airport for the purpose of carrying out the necessary maintenance required to bring the aircraft back to flyable status.
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- Transport Canada is not aware of any attempts by any entity to initial the legal proceedings to ratify the Ukrainian order
GAC MEDIA LINES (FOR REFERENCE):
- Canada and its international partners will not stand idly by as President Putin attacks Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the rules-based international order.
- As announced by the Prime Minister on April 11, 2023, Canada imposed new sanctions targeting those complicit in Russia’s war in Ukraine, including several security targets linked to the Wagner Group and Russia’s aviation sector. Volga-Dnepr Group and Volga-Dnepr Airlines are among those sanctioned.
- Canada’s autonomous sanctions were amended last June to provide authorities for the seizure, forfeiture, disposal and redistribution of assets belonging to individuals and entities sanctioned under Canadian legislation.
- After a dealings ban is implemented, and assets are effectively frozen, the Government may pursue the seizure and forfeiture of certain assets. Global Affairs Canada does not comment on potential asset seizures.
- Global Affairs Canada continues to work closely with the RCMP and other government departments to explore and carefully evaluate potential assets of sanctioned individuals and entities that could be pursued using the seizure and forfeiture authorities across all our sanctions regimes.
BACKGROUND
As part of a suite of economic countermeasures against the Russian Federation following its invasion of Ukraine, the Government of Canada closed Canadian airspace to Russian-owned, chartered or operated aircraft, including the airspace above Canada’s territorial waters on February 27, 2022. Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on the same day to communicate the decision.
On March 16, 2022, the closing of Canadian airspace was expanded to Belarusian air operators and aircraft. Transport Canada issued a NOTAM that prohibits the entrance, exit or the overflight of Canada’s territorial airspace (i.e., over Canadian landmass and within 12 nautical miles of Canadian coasts) to:
- All aircraft directly or indirectly owned, chartered, leased, operated or controlled by a person connected with the Russian Federation or Belarus;
- All aircraft directly or indirectly owned, chartered, leased, operated, or controlled by an entity formed under the laws of the Russian Federation or Belarus; and
- All operators holding an air operator certificate (AOC) issued by the Russian and/or Belarusian authorities.