A representative of PJSC “Tupolev” stated at a session in the Arbitration Court of Tatarstan, as reported by TASS, that contracts for the supply of new Tu-214 aircraft are not expected before 2027.
This, he asserts, is a result of the Kazan Aviation Plant’s significant burden, which is occupied with the fulfillment of defense contracts for the delivery of aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Nevertheless, he underscored that PJSC “Tupolev” is in the process of submitting commercial proposals to airlines and has reached agreements with new buyers.
The fact that Tupolev is presently fulfilling 85% of its state defense orders is a clear indication that they work mainly for the state. This includes the production and after-sales support of strategic missile carriers and special-purpose aircraft.
The unnamed Tupolev representative in the Tatarstan Arbitration Court stated, “We have submitted evidence of the fulfillment of contracts under the state defense order, which permits a maximum profit margin of 4% per contract.”
It is important to mention that in 2024, PJSC “Tatneft” filed a lawsuit against Tupolev for 5.6 billion rubles. The specifics have not been disclosed. Nevertheless, specialists relate the dispute to a fixed contract for the delivery of four new Tu-214 airliners to “UVT Aero.” The airline is anticipated to receive the first two aircraft in October 2024 and the remaining two in September of this year.
In August 2023, it came to light that Tupolev would transfer the first two new serial Tu-214 aircraft to other consumers, rather than delivering them to “UVT Aero,” as reported by TASS, citing the Kazan-based outlet Business Online. They promised to deliver two of the four ordered aircraft by 2026 in exchange.
However, Business Online reports that Tupolev returned funds to the consumer, represented by PJSC “Tatneft,” for only one aircraft. According to reports, Tupolev is unable to reimburse the purchaser for the second aircraft.
On 15th July, the Arbitration Court of Tatarstan partially supported the plaintiff and approved the recovery of over 6 billion rubles from Tupolev, including penalties. This sum is less than the amount that Tatneft demanded, which consisted of 5.6 billion rubles in debt, 1.9 billion in interest, and 1.2 billion in penalties. According to TASS, Tupolev did not exclude the possibility that paying such a sum could result in the aircraft manufacturer’s bankruptcy during the court hearing.
It is important to mention that Tupolev representatives announced in March 2022, during Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov’s visit to the Kazan Aviation Plant, that they would increase production of the Tu-214 aircraft to a minimum of 10 per year for domestic airlines by 2024, despite the presence of Western sanctions.
In March 2022, the then-Minister of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, also confirmed that Tupolev would build three Tu-214 aircraft by the end of 2023, seven in 2024, ten in 2025, fifteen in 2026, and all twenty by 2027, while considering sanctions.
Yuri Slyusar, the head of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), verified this at SPIEF-2023 in June 2023. He stated that the Kazan plant would increase the production of Tu-214s in their new configuration to 10 aircraft annually by 2025, and subsequently to 20 aircraft per year.
In the same year, Aeroflot, the largest airline in Russia, executed an agreement with Tupolev for the delivery of eleven Tu-214 aircraft. Additionally, the first three aircraft were subject to a formal contract, with delivery anticipated no later than the end of 2023.
The deliveries, however, were never completed, and in early January 2024, UAC announced that the delivery of the new Tu-214s to the customer was once again postponed until 2025. In August 2024, Aeroflot Group CEO Sergey Aleksandrovsky announced in an interview that the airline had ceased the acquisition of the Kazan-built Tu-214s.
Rostec’s press service subsequently clarified the situation, announcing a revision to the delivery schedule. The Kazan Aviation Plant was anticipated to build and deliver only four new Tu-214s in 2025, as opposed to the previously planned ten, and seven in 2026, as opposed to the previously planned fifteen, according to their data. Unfortunately, it appears that the situation is still in a state of limbo.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stated in July 2025 that the Tu-214 aircraft’s serial production starting date must be established and strictly adhered to. Mishustin emphasized the need for clear deadlines and responsibility in carrying out state aviation programs, especially for homegrown aircraft like the Tu-214, which are seen as a key alternative to Western-made planes, during a government meeting about the aviation industry’s growth.
His remarks are indicative of the increasing government dissatisfaction with the persistent delays in Tu-214 production, despite previous assurances that serial production would commence in 2024 and increase to 10–20 aircraft per year by 2026–2027. The ongoing Western sanctions and import substitution efforts have increased the pressure on Tupolev and the Kazan Aviation Plant to meet these long-standing commitments, which is reflected in the push to establish a firm manufacturing date.
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