WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th June, 2022) Canada will not let the impounded An-124 jet out at least until the end of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, deputy chief of mission of the Russian embassy in Ottawa told Sputnik on Friday.
According to deputy chief of mission Vladimir Proskuryakov, the An-124 operated by Russian cargo carrier Volga-Dnepr was transporting humanitarian cargo, including COVID-19 test kits, from China under a contract with the Canadian government. The plane arrived in Canada on February 27 and was due to depart the next day. On February 27, Canada closed its airspace for Russian aircraft and refused the request for permission to depart.
Russia sent a diplomatic note on March 1, which described the whole situation in detail, and demanded that Canada release the jet. Canada did not officially respond to this note in writing but rather sent an e-mail that they would not even consider the issue until Russia ends its military operation in Ukraine, the diplomat continued.
"Through the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we tried to somehow resolve the situation, so that they (the plane) would be allowed to leave. But Global Affairs Canada, citing the department of transport and the position of the Federal government, totally refused," Proskuryakov said. "In principle, they simply stated that this issue can't be discussed and the plane would remain at least until the end of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. They took an ironclad position, completely excluding a diplomatic path."
