Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says pursuing forfeiture of a seized Russian cargo plane that has been parked for years at Toronto Pearson International Airport has forced the government to “disentangle” the aircraft's complex ownership structure.

“This is a legal process, but it’s also in the context of: ‘How else can we help Ukraine in its time of need?’” Anand said at a Friday news conference.

“The owners of the Antonov aircraft used complex corporate structures that have required significant time to disentangle.”

Anand’s remarks are the latest government update on the fate of the seized Antonov An-124, one of the largest aircraft ever manufactured.

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