Putin visits aircraft makers Production and Yak-130M

Jun 25

Konstantin Panyushkin revisits Putin's previous-day Zhukovsky aircraft inspection, retaining cockpit exchanges with Sergey Sukhar, Roman Taskaev and Leonid Chikunov. The report describes Il-114-300 trials, regional orders, range and limited initial deliveries; Putin warns about passenger-traffic targets and urges faster, larger production with personal responsibility for deadlines and quality. The MC-21 section discusses specifications, engine-icing tests and import substitution. Putin criticizes sanctions, while Taskaev says he hopes they continue; these are their positions. The Superjet section retains Chikunov's operating and handling assessments and the report's statement that PD-8 engines are entering serial production. A separate same-day development is the Yak-130M prototype's maiden flight. Deputy chief designer Dmitry Popov describes laser- and satellite-guided bombs and four guns. The package closes by presenting military and civilian aircraft development as fulfillment of presidential directions. Technical and production claims remain attributed to this report and its speakers.

On June 25, 2026, UAC released statements by Irkutsk Aviation Plant director Andrey Soynov and Yak-130 deputy chief designer Dmitry Popov on Yak-130M production preparation and combat modernization. Soynov described an ongoing production reorganization and planned continuous-flow assembly to meet expected demand. Popov outlined targeting, defensive and communications systems, greater weapons accuracy, guided-bomb capability, four cannons, racks for sixteen 100-kilogram bombs and day/night operation in different weather conditions. The capabilities and expected production benefits remain attributed manufacturer claims; the release does not establish completed assembly conversion, realized demand growth or independently verified combat performance.