Fire Incident Involving Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan in Japan
On the evening of October 22, a Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft caught fire while landing at Japan’s Chubu Centrair International Airport. The blaze broke out around 7:20 PM local time in a section of the plane shortly after touchdown. Firefighters responded promptly and extinguished the flames. Although signs of fire were detected post-landing, the aircraft was able to taxi independently to the parking area once the fire was put out.
The runway was temporarily closed for 15 minutes due to the incident but was reopened for normal operations after inspection. Japan’s Ministry of Transport is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the event. According to Japanese media reports, the An-124 began flying to Chubu about a month ago. No information has been released regarding the cargo onboard, any damage to the aircraft, or potential injuries.
Security Challenges Facing Ukrainian Airlines
Antonov Airlines has not issued any statements regarding this event. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the airline relocated its primary operational hub to Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany. Notably, in early August 2026, there was an attempted attack on another An-124 at this German airport involving an FPV drone armed with explosives, which fortunately failed to detonate. German authorities attribute this sabotage attempt to Russian actors.
This fire aboard the An-124 Ruslan in Japan highlights the critical importance of aviation security, particularly amid ongoing threats to Ukrainian air carriers.
Although the onboard fire was quickly contained, it raises concerns about the overall safety of international operations involving such aircraft. Concurrently, recent events surrounding Antonov’s fleet underscore the persistent risks faced by Ukrainian aviation companies amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflict in the region.