First flight for new Russian-made passenger plane

Russia's new MS-21-300 passenger plane, with wings made of Russian composite materials, made its first flight Saturday. It's been hailed by Russian officials as a victory against Western sanctions.

The plane successfully took off from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant where it is expected to enter into mass production.  Development of the MS-21-300 plane encountered delays amid Western sanctions that hampered imports of engines and other key components.

Test flights of versions of the plane had earlier been conducted to apply for a test certificate. The first deliveries of the planes to clients are expected in the second half of 2022.