Antonov AN-124 Ruslan

The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a massive strategic heavy-lift cargo aircraft developed by the Soviet Union's Antonov design bureau in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Designed primarily for military logistics, it is capable of transporting oversized and extremely heavy payloads, including military vehicles, industrial equipment, and humanitarian cargo. It remains one of the largest cargo aircraft ever built and still in service. The aircraft features a high-wing design with a distinctive drooped nose that opens upward, allowing drive-on loading from the front, while a rear ramp also allows simultaneous loading and unloading. Its pressurized cargo hold can accommodate loads up to 150 tonnes. The An-124 has been widely used for commercial charter heavy-lift operations around the world. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, production and operation became complicated by Ukrainian-Russian geopolitical tensions, as Antonov is headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines and Antonov Airlines have been the primary commercial operators, though the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine severely disrupted operations and the future of the type.