Russia is now fulfilling, and will completely fulfil, its obligations in accordance with its contract to deliver IL-76 military transport aircraft and IL-78 long-range refueling aircraft to China. This was reported by Mikhail Dmitriyev, the Director of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSVTS), as he was providing a summary of the 13th combined Russian-Chinese Intergovernmental Commission, in which he took part. This commission took place on 11 December in Beijing.

Dmitriyev emphasized that "among other Air Force-related projects, the issue of implementation of the contract for delivering IL-76 transport and IL-78 refueling aircraft to China, which was signed in 2005, was of course discussed. As far as we are concerned, it has been announced that, the portion of the contract which pertains to Russia is being fulfilled, and our country will completely fulfil all of our obligations, in relation to the contract."

In explaining the causes for delaying the fulfilment of the contract, he stated that, "the document is trilateral. Aside from Russia and China, Tashkent’s Chkalov Aircraft Factory in Uzbekistan is also a participant. So, from Tashkent’s side, this contract has been essentially rescinded. Russia’s obligations, as a signatory of the contract, pertain only to the production of engines and auxiliary power systems and their delivery to China. These obligations are being fulfilled." The head of the FSVTS also specified that "in accordance with the contract, we do not manufacture airframes for these aircraft. The Tashkent Aircraft Factory produces them."

Dmitriyev concluded, by stating that "for a way out of the given situation, it is evident that some sort of addendum to the contract will be signed. New timelines will be defined in this addendum."

According to information from the Russian Federation Ministry of Defence, a contract signed in Sochi in 2005 makes provisions for the delivery of 38 IL-76 military transport aircraft and four IL-78 long-range refueling aircraft to China.

The IL-76 military transport aircraft is designated for the transport and airborne insertion of personnel, equipment, and cargo of various purposes.

The first military transport aircraft with turboprop engines in the history of the USSR was designated for utilization on both concrete and unpaved airfields and has a structural capacity of no less than 0.6 MPa (megapascals). It is capable of transporting cargo of 28 to 60 tonnes for a distance of 3,600 to 4,200 kilometres at a cruising speed of 770 to 800 kilometres per hour. All of the IL-76’s compartments are pressurized, which gives it the capability of either transporting 167 military personnel, with light arms (or 245 in the double deck version), or allowing the insertion of 126 landing assault personnel. The aircraft can also transport an entire complement of airborne unit combat materiel and a majority of a motorized rifle division’s equipage.

The IL-78 is a refueling aircraft. It was created on the basis of the IL-76 aircraft, and is designated for the air-to-air refueling of military aircraft. It was put into service in 1987. It is currently the only refueling aircraft in the service of the Russian Air Force. The maximum amount of fuel that an IL-78 can transfer is 57.72 tonnes.