A Ukrainian An-124 ‘Ruslan’ has landed in Budapest
On Saturday, a Ukrainian An-124 ‘Ruslan’ transport aircraft landed at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport. The aircraft, registration number UR-82029, operated by Antonov Airlines, arrived from Leipzig in Germany and immediately attracted the attention of aviation enthusiasts, reports Daily News Hungary.
After landing, the aircraft was parked away from the main passenger terminal. Meanwhile, observers began to speculate about the nature of the cargo it had delivered to Hungary.
No official information regarding the contents of the aircraft has been released as yet. This is precisely why the aircraft’s arrival has sparked additional interest among aviation enthusiasts. The An-124 is regularly used to transport oversized cargo that cannot be carried by conventional cargo aircraft.
Depending on the configuration, the aircraft is capable of carrying over 120 tonnes of cargo, and according to some sources, the maximum payload can reach around 150 tonnes. It is used to transport industrial equipment, energy infrastructure components, specialised machinery, humanitarian aid and other oversized items.
The publication Blikk, citing comments from users of the Flightradar24 HUN page on social media, reported that the aircraft could return to Budapest at around 16:45 local time. One commenter suggested that the An-124 might have departed from Estonia for the Hungarian capital at 15:15 Hungarian time.
The same user speculated that the aircraft might be carrying equipment related to NATO’s international medical exercise Vigorous Warrior 2026. There is no official confirmation of this information.
The An-124 ‘Ruslan’ is considered the largest production cargo aircraft currently in service. It was developed during the Soviet era, and its maiden flight took place in the 1980s. The aircraft is equipped with four engines and remains one of the most powerful transport aircraft in the world.
As noted by HVG, the An-124 is often referred to as the younger brother of the An-225 ‘Mriya’. The legendary six-engine aircraft was the largest in the world, but was destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as a result of hostilities at Gostomel airfield near Kyiv.
Following the loss of the An-225, it is the An-124 ‘Ruslan’ that remains the largest production cargo aircraft, continuing to carry out specialised transport of oversized cargo around the world.
