Ukrainian aerospace firm Antonov has flown a refurbished An-124-100 from Kyiv to Leipzig following a multi-year modernisation project to replace Russian-built components, reported London's Flight Global.

The aircraft (UR-82073) was originally built in 1994 and has logged over 21,000 flight hours across more than 5,500 cycles. It flew under flight number ADB9154 on 11 July.

The upgrade programme began in 2021 but was delayed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Antonov's Gostomel facility was attacked, damaging several aircraft including the sole An-225, which was destroyed.

Antonov said the An-124 was in a disassembled state during the attack but work resumed despite wartime conditions. Russian-made components were replaced with Western and Ukrainian systems.

The company described the aircraft's relocation as a symbol of Ukrainian aerospace resilience and professionalism. It will now operate on international routes for Ukraine.