Head of Embattled Russian Plane Maker to Resign – Vedomosti

The boss of Sukhoi — Russia’s troubled national plane maker — is expected to resign this week, Russian daily Vedomosti has reported.

Igor Ozar, who has been with the company for more than 20 years, was placed on sick leave last week, and is slated to tender his resignation at a board meeting on Thursday, the paper says, citing industry insiders.

The departure comes after a dismal 2019 for the plane maker, which produces military aircraft for Russia’s armed forces as well as civilian planes. 

In May, 41 passengers died when an Aeroflot Sukhoi Superjet 100 made an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport with full fuel tanks — the Superjet’s second fatal crash in its eight-year history. Following the disaster, regional carrier Yamal Airlines canceled an order for 10 Superjets, and commentators began to question the future of the aircraft.

The company was also forced to delay delivery of its hyped Su-57 stealth fighter to the Russian Aerospace Forces, after it crashed during a test flight in Russia’s Far East last December. The first units were just days away from being delivered, and had already been combat-tested in Syria.

Sukhoi is owned by the United Aircraft Corporation, which is 91%-controlled by the Russian government.