Russian airline VolgaDnepr has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Canada over the seizure of its Antonov An-124 cargo plane, which was grounded in Toronto after the airspace closure in 2022.

The plane, one of 26 in the world, was placed on the sanctions list and later seized by the Canadian government under new powers to seize sanctioned assets.

The airline claims Canada’s actions have ruined its business and insists the plane is suffering from exposure to the elements without maintenance. The Canadian government, for its part, says it is in talks with Ukraine over the plane.

The case highlights the difficulties countries face in seizing Russian assets under sanctions, and could foreshadow similar legal battles in other countries. Canada, like several other Western countries, is seeking to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

Anastasia Chupina