Inside Canada’s legal fight over grounded Russian plane

The years-long legal battle over aircraft linked to oligarch a key test of Canadian sanctions regime

8 Aug 2025 • 5 min read

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The pictured Antonov-124 plane has been grounded at Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto since 2022. Canada is now trying to take legal custody of the Russian aircraft, a key test of its sanctions regime. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Zak Vescera

Zak is a Vancouver-based reporter focusing on white-collar crime in British Columbia. He previously reported for The Tyee and The Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

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