"Flights of the fully domestically produced version of the MC-21 aircraft will begin in late March - early April," Alikhanov said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 broadcaster.
The first flight tests of the Russian-made MC-21 aircraft are expected to begin in 2024.
The MC-21 is a medium-range narrow-body aircraft developed by the Yakovlev Corporation. Serial production of the aircraft is scheduled to begin in 2025 at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.
The European Union banned the supply of civilian aircraft and spare parts to Russia and obligated lessors to terminate contracts with Russian airlines after Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine. Aircraft maintenance and insurance services have also been banned, while the EU, the United States, Canada and a number of other countries have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft.