MOSCOW, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia has logged orders of about 170 MS-21 passenger planes, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted an official as saying.

MS-21s will go into mass production by the end of 2018, said Andrey Boginsky, deputy minister of industry and trade.

"We expect the first flight in the first quarter of next year, as active testing is now going on in the workshop. We look forward to receiving the Russian and then the European certificate by the end of 2018," he said.

Boginsky also noted that the unfavorable international situation is not influencing the development of MS-21s. "The engine prototypes are delivered from the United States, including two that have already been fixed on the plane and another two in the way," said the official.

The MS-21, also known as MC-21, is a newly designed twin-engine passenger aircraft with a capacity of 150 to 211 seats.