State Enterprise Antonov (Kyiv) will appeal to international aviation organizations with the request to lift responsibility for the safety of flights of Russian transport An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft if Russian aviation authorities illegally, in violation of the rules, decide on the withdrawal of them from under the supervision of the developer and transfer its functions to a Russian company, according to the press service of the state company.

"If civilian An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft are withdrawn from under the supervision of State Enterprise Antonov, the company will be forced to appeal to international aviation organizations with the statement about taking responsibility for ensuring the safe operation of the aircraft on international routes off the company," reads the statement by the state company in connection with mass media reports on the Russian aviation authorities' intention to transfer the functions of the developer to one of Russian enterprises.

"Any attempt to transfer the functions of the organization responsible for the type design [of the aircraft] to another entity in the presence of the functioning developer grossly contradicts ICAO standards, as well as the aviation rules and regulations of the EU, the United States, Ukraine and Russia," the company said, underlining the operation of Antonov aircraft must be carried out in strict accordance with the requirements of international aviation law and operational documentation developed by State Enterprise Antonov.