Evraz Avia Servis, established by former Red Wings head, now holds 100% of Volga-Dnepr-Moscow and AirBridgeCargo, plus 67% stake in Atran
Photo: Volga Dnepr
Russia’s state register of legal entities indicates that three divisions of Volga-Dnepr Group have been acquired by a company headed by the former chief of carrier Red Wings.
The register shows that Evraz Avia Servis acquired Volga-Dnepr-Moscow and AirBridgeCargo, as well as a majority of Atran.
Interfax reports that the company owns 100% of Volga-Dnepr and AirBridgeCargo and 67% of Atran.
It lists the participations as taking place on 30 December.
Evraz Avia Servis was established last year by the ex-head of Red Wings, Evgeny Solodilin, who also previously led Moscow Zhukovsky airport.
Volga-Dnepr Group had specialised in outsize cargo transport using Ilyushin Il-76 and Antonov An-124 aircraft, before expanding with Boeing 747 freighter operator AirBridgeCargo and Boeing 737 airline Atran.
But the group ran into problems after it was sanctioned over the Ukrainian conflict. It was forced to suspend its AirBridgeCargo and Atran operations, while associated UK carrier CargoLogicAir collapsed into administration. An-124 aircraft stranded outside Russia have also been seized.
Volga-Dnepr Group now reportedly operates only three AN-124 aircraft out of eleven and five IL-76, said Logirus. Four AN-124s have been held abroad in line with sanctions imposed since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.
The Atran fleet has been reduced to two AN-12s, and AirBridgeCargo has 14 Boeing aircraft in storage, including nine Boeing 747-8Fs.
According to fleet tracking website Planespotters, Volga-Dnepr currently has seven AN-124s (not including those impounded) and five IL-76s.
Russian carriers have faced operational restrictions from Canada, the European Union, UK and the US since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out.
One of its AN-124 aircraft has also been seized by Canadian authorities as part of sanctions and has been stuck at Toronto Pearson Airport since 2022. Others are also reported to have been impounded abroad.
EAS is expected to seek government permission to arrange for nine 747-8Fs to return to lessors, as well as to regain access to a Boeing 737-800F held in Cologne and three AN-124s with a spare parts warehouse in Leipzig.
The company is also expected to seek other Boeing aircraft from foreign owners to build up operations again. The company is also considering the possibility of integrating Russian IL-96-400, Tu-204 and Tu-214 aircraft into the fleet.
In December, Aeroflot Group disclosed that its fleet has expanded with two Boeing 747-400ERFs and two 737-800BCFs, all of which were placed with subsidiary Rossiya.
Aeroflot Group did not specify the source of the freighters but Volga-Dnepr Group’s scheduled cargo arm AirBridgeCargo (ABC) and its associate Atran operated both types.
