Volga-Dnieper

Volga-Dnepr Group's business is based on charter air transportation on unique An-124-100 and Il-76 ramp aircraft (Volga-Dnepr Airlines) and regular air transportation of cargo on 747 aircraft Boeing (AirBridgeCargo Airlines). The synergy of the two main businesses - a complementary combination of charter and regular transportation - expands the range of logistics services of Volga-Dnepr, allowing the company to develop dynamically and successfully compete with the leaders of the global industry.

In order to manage business processes as efficiently as possible and to optimize production, operations and marketing activities, Volga-Dnepr has identified three subgroups according to the profiling businesses: charter transportation, regular transportation and maintenance of aircraft. Volga-Dnepr also includes companies that provide additional logistics, insurance and consulting services to customers and partners. The management company Volga-Dnepr-Moscow LLC provides strategic management of the activities of all structural units of the Group.

History

2025: Nationalization of the Company

The founder and former owner of the Volga-Dnepr cargo group, Alexei Isaikin, announced the transfer of business to the state. Isaikin announced this on August 25, 2025 at the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Volga-Dnipro in Ulyanovsk.

According to Forbes, the cargo group includes the airline of the same name, as well as the carriers Antran and AirBridgeCargo. The companies operate An-124 (Ruslan) and Il-76 aircraft. Isaikin told the team about the prospects for the transfer of assets after searches were carried out in the airline's office in the winter of 2025.

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Фото: Freepik

The founder of the group told employees that the homeland "has something to take away." According to him, the transfer can occur in any form - nationalization, confiscation or a fair deal. One of the sources of the publication suggested that Isaikin expects the claim of the Prosecutor General's Office and the forced conversion of assets into state revenue, but is counting on a commercial deal.

According to the reporting, the value of Volga-Dnepr's assets at the end of 2022 amounted to ₽46,8 billion. Newspaper sources estimate them within ₽30 billion. The An-124 and Il-76 projects at Volga-Dnipro employ about 1,500 people.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines has three An-124-100 and five Il-76 aircraft in airworthiness. Antran has two An-12s. AirBridgeCargo had 14 Boeing in storage. The likelihood of transferring assets to the state has been discussed since the winter of 2025.

Until February 2022, Volga-Dnepr transported about half of all cargo from Russia. Experts believe that it will be possible to operate aircraft from the group's fleet in the interests of the Ministry of Defense. For commercial carriers, Il-76 may be of interest on flights to China.^[1]

2022

Departure of the founder of Volga-Dnepr Group Alexei Isaikin

The main owner and founder of Volga-Dnepr Airlines Alexei Isaikin leaves the company's shareholders. The cargo carrier announced this on August 12, 2022. Read more here

Reduction of AirBridgeCargo and Atran pilots

In August 2022, it became known that the Volga-Dnepr group of Alexei Isaikin will reduce almost all the remaining pilots of the subsidiary cargo airlines AirBridgeCargo and Atran, which flew on Boeing airliners. That's over 200 people. The company came under sanctions amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Lawsuit against the Dutch "daughter" of the company from AerCap due to the confiscation of leased aircraft

On May 20, 2022, AerCap filed a lawsuit with the London Court against the Dutch subsidiary of the Russian carrier Volga-Dnepr in connection with the confiscation of leased aircraft. It is reported by The Independent newspaper.

Before the start of a special operation in Ukraine, 135 aircraft and 14 aircraft engines owned by AerCap were leased to Russian airlines. Their total cost is approximately $3 billion.

2021: Alexey Skatin - Managing Director of Volga-Dnepr

On September 27, 2021, it became known that Alexei Skatin had left for the post of managing director of the Volga-Dnepr cargo airline. Read more here.

2019: Ukraine's attempt to impose a ban on the company to operate giant Ruslan aircraft

On May 28, 2019, the Podolsky District Court of Kyiv, at the request of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv, arrested and banned the operation of 5 civilian An-124-100 transport aircraft of Volga-Dnepr Airlines (Russia). This was reported in the press service of the well-known Law Firm "Ilyashev and Partners," representing the interests of the State Enterprise "Antonov."

Within the framework of criminal proceedings under Art. 281 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the rules of air flight, which created a danger to human life or other grave consequences) the court seized Volga-Dnepr Airlines (Russia) and Volga Dnepr Airlines (Ireland) An-124-100 aircraft with registration numbers RA-82068 (serial number No. 0703), RA-82078 (serial number 0710), RA-82045 (serial number 0609), RA-82046 (serial number 0610), RA-82077 (serial number 0709) and prohibited the airline and any other persons from operating them.

Also, any third parties (airports, aircraft authorities) are prohibited from performing any actions aimed at landing/take-off (reception/departure) of these aircraft. "According to the Antonov State Enterprise, the investigation and the court, the admission of the An-124 aircraft specified in the court ruling for further operation is a violation of the provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the ICAO Airworthiness Manual," commented Roman Marchenko, senior partner of the Ilyashev & Partners international law firm. - The seizure of property is allowed in order to ensure the safety of material evidence and compensation for harm caused as a result of the crime. "

Recall that the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, at the request of the Antonov State Enterprise, as the holder of the Aircraft Type Certificate, are investigating the fact of certification by the Federal Air Transport Agency of AMTES GmbH as the developer of the modification of the An-124-100 aircraft and the issuance of an Additional Type Certificate to replace the standard design "Airworthiness support in terms of confirming the resource and service life." As a result of the illegal actions of the Federal Air Transport Agency and AMTES GmbH, the An-124 aircraft operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, bypassing Antonov State Enterprise, were extended their airworthiness, which jeopardizes the safe operation of these aircraft.

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