The state-run carrier has relied heavily on Airbus and Boeing jets, but the Kremlin has encouraged local carriers to introduce homemade aircraft, like the MC-21.

The first 25 MC-21s delivered to Aeroflot will be equipped with American Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines. It is possible that the remaining planes will be equipped with Russian-made PD-14 engines, which are to be certified later this year.

The maiden flight of the Russian jet took place in May 2017. It can carry a maximum of 211 passengers, and seeks to compete with medium-haul jetliners such as the Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus A320neo and Chinese Comac C919.

The main competitive advantages of the MC-21 include modest operating costs, which are 6-7 percent lower than its competitors. The jet will replace the remaining Soviet-era Yakovlev Yak-42, Tupolev Tu-134, Tupolev Tu-154, and Tupolev Tu-204/214 airliners.

The MC-21 features a composite wing-design, which improves fuel efficiency. The aircraft is also designed to have a cruising speed that is superior to its Boeing and Airbus alternatives, and its price is tens of millions of dollars lower than its competitors.