Russia and Ukraine are running tests in order to decide whether the production of Antonov An-124 Ruslan aircraft will resume.

"Joint tests are continuing, with the purpose of making a decision about the possible resumption of the manufacture of Antonov An-124 aircraft," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the audience at the Don State Technical University on Monday.

It was reported on October 25 that the Ukrainian government had approved a draft intergovernmental agreement with Russia on the resumption and state support for the mass production of Antonov An-124 aircraft powered with various types of D-18 engines.

Industrial Policy Minister Mykhailo Korolenko will sign the agreement on behalf of Ukraine.

Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan is the world's largest transport aircraft with a 150-tonne payload. Ukraine's Antonov Airlines and Russia's Volga Dnepr are the main operators of the aircraft.

The partners joined the NATO SALIS (Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) program in 2006 to render transportation services to the alliance and the European Union. In December 2012 NATO extended the lease of Ukrainian and Russian aircraft until December 31, 2014.

Antonov, Motor Sich (Zaporizhzhia) and Volga Dnepr started drawing up a program in 2003 to resume production of the modernized aircraft for clients on the global market.

Experts said the production might resume no earlier than in 2015 or 2020 and 40-100 aircraft might be ordered.

Antonov, the leading Ukrainian aircraft designer and manufacturer, suggested that Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) set up joint ventures in promising aircraft industry projects, among them the Antonov An-140 short-haul aircraft, the An-148 next-generation regional jet and An-70 and An-124 transport aircraft.

The two prime ministers supported the establishment of a joint venture for the production of modernized An-124-100 Ruslan at their meetings held in Sochi in July and Kaluga in October.