Kiev “loses” 5 of India’s 40 aircrafts being upgraded in Ukraine

The last five of 40 AN-32 aircrafts being upgraded at Kiev-based Antonov State Co. facilities in Ukraine have become "untraceable,” according to Defense News (U.S.).

According to a source in India’s Armed Forces, in 2009, India contracted with Ukraine's state-owned arms trading agency, Ukrspetsexport Corp., to upgrade its 104 AN-32 transport aircraft at a cost of US $400 million. The program involved the upgrade of 40 aircraft in Ukraine and 64 under technology transfer from Ukraine at the Air Force's Kanpur-based base repair depot. However, Kiev returned only 35 upgraded aircrafts, while the last five remain untraceable.

“These five aircraft are almost lost as it is difficult to trace them and diplomatic efforts to find their whereabouts have failed," an Indian official said.

It is noteworthy that the local upgrade at the Kanpur depot, India, halted last year, as the Ukraine engineers left home because of the conflict in Donbass.