Aeroflot expects to receive its first eight Yakovlev MS-21 aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2027, with another 10 due in 2028, after chief executive Sergei Alexandrovsky fixed the initial delivery window at the Eastern Economic Forum. The Russian carrier plans to use the narrowbody on domestic routes as it begins preparing pilots, cabin crew and engineers for the type in 2027.
The timetable gives Aeroflot a clearer path for replacing older Western-built aircraft over the longer term. The airline expects to take 108 MS-21s by the end of 2032, with a second contract for 90 aircraft still to be signed. Early service is expected on high-density short-haul routes including Moscow-St. Petersburg and Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod, while the expanded fleet remains central to Aeroflot’s domestic renewal strategy.