Due to the absence of a clear position of top managers of the Ukroboronprom State Concern and the Ukrainian president Ukraine is losing a chance to implement a unique project on operation of An-124 Ruslan aircraft with Germany and a prospect of their production at Kyiv and German production facilities, MP Serhiy Taruta who heads the interparliamentary group for liaisons with Germany.
The press service quoted Taruta saying at the Second Ukrainian-German Business Forum on Tuesday that this concerns a failure to implement a program of large-scale cooperation between Antonov with Germany’s Bundeswehr and NATO in transportation of oversized cargo and the possible start of joint production of Ruslan aircraft at production facilities in Kyiv and Leipzig.
Earlier two commercial companies have been created to provide transportation services: one was created by Antonov and the second one – jointly with Russia Volga-Dnepr (they have a fleet of An-124 aircraft since Soviet times). After starting the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, a special transport hub to transport NATO cargos using Antonov aircraft was created. Ukraine and Russia founded Salis GmbH in Germany. The company coordinated these transportation services. Around 80% of transportation was ordered directly by Bundeswehr and the rest of the orders were from other Alliance member countries.
The contract will expire in 2017. Due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine Ukrainian official authorities decided to annul the contract. They announced this only in 2016. Maybe Ukraine hoped to receive all orders for Ukraine, but Germany informally warned Ukrainian authorities that Ukraine’s hopes to receive all orders are groundless.
There is a real chance to develop strategic cooperation between Germany and Ukraine in aircraft building.
Taruta said that the possibility of joint production of Ruslan aircraft in Ukraine and Germany was discussed. Germany was ready to undertake the major part of organization and financial expenses to launch this large-scale project and presented a model for this cooperation.
“Despite our discussions at the highest level in Ukraine, we have failed to convince Ukroboronprom and the president in the necessity of accepting Germany’s offer. Finally recently France signed a contract to buy the cargo transportation services with the United States. Bundeswehr several days ago signed a contract to buy over 50 Lockheed Martin С-130 transport aircraft from the United States. Thanks to the unclear policy of Ukroboronprom’s top managers and the Ukrainian president we had a huge damage. This was a real chance to give a fresh start to Antonov and reach the real level of strategic partnership with Germany,” he said.
