Canadian judge denies Russian cargo airline sanctions relief

A Federal Court judge has shot down a plea for sanctions relief by the Russian company that owns the massive cargo plane Canada seized after the start of the Ukraine war.

Volga Dnepr Airlines, Russia’s largest air cargo carrier, filed for a judicial review of the federal government’s decision to maintain sanctions on the company and its former chairman.

Arguing it has refused to carry military cargo since 2018, the airline applied to be removed from Canada’s sanctions list in 2023 and was turned down.

But the Canadian government has said the airline has benefited from Russian government contracts and subsidies and has helped President Vladimir Putin’s regime bypass sanctions.

Canada seized its Antonov-124 transport plane at Pearson International Airport in 2023 and the aircraft has remained there ever since.

The company is attempting to regain control of the cargo plane through an international arbitration process.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2026.