GSCW chat recap: Vekshin on AN-124 engine updates, unprecedented volume demands

Volga-Dnepr continues to offer ‘cargo supermarket’ experience

Freightwaves' Eric Kulisch (left) speaks with Volga-Dnepr's Konstantin Vekshin (right) on air cargo volumes (Photo: FreightWaves)

This fireside chat recap is from Day 1 of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week. Day 1 focuses on military, aerospace and manufacturing.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: From Russia, With Cargo

DETAILS: Volga-Dnepr is one of the most unusual specialist, all-cargo airlines in the world.  It has a large fleet of Boeing 747s but also some Russian-made aircraft that can handle out-of-gauge cargo or land on smaller airfields under challenging runway conditions. Find out about the company’s role in airlift during the pandemic, and how it applies its Cargo Supermarket approach to find the right solution for shippers.

SPEAKER: Konstantin Vekshin, chief commercial officer, Volga-Dnepr Group


BIO: Vekshin is an air cargo expert with 25-plus years of experience. He joined Volga-Dnepr Group in 1997 and rose from sales executive to vice president of charter cargo operations. Starting in August 2018, he held the position of executive president, charter cargo operations for Volga-Dnepr Airlines and was recently promoted to chief commercial officer of Volga-Dnepr Group.

“The Antonov AN-124 is a lot more self-sufficient, and this is why we have been able to operate this airplane to some very exotic destinations and we had to rely just on the capabilities of this airplane.”

“We want to stay as competitive as we can … . If those financial vehicles are available, we try to take advantage of them.”

“We are still talking to the engine manufacturers trying to see how we are going to service those engines in the future…but otherwise at this point in time, we believe that the continuation of our operations [is] under control and safe.”

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Grace Sharkey

Grace Sharkey is a professional in the logistics and transportation industry with experience in journalism, digital content creation and decision-making roles in the third-party logistics space. Prior to joining FreightWaves, Grace led a startup brokerage to more than $80 million in revenue, holding roles of increasing responsibility, including director of sales, vice president of business development and chief strategy officer. She is currently a staff writer, podcast producer and SiriusXM radio host for FreightWaves, a leading provider of news, data and analytics for the logistics industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Michigan State University. You can contact her at gsharkey@freightwaves.com.