<p class="title">Russia plans to produce at least another 200 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, Industry Minister Denis Manturov told Reuters, despite a fatal crash that raised questions about the future of the country's first new passenger jet since the Soviet Union.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An Aeroflot-operated Sukhoi Superjet, which had been flying from Moscow to the northern Russian city of Murmansk, caught fire on May 5 as it made a bumpy emergency landing at a Moscow airport, killing 41 people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While Russian authorities have said there is no reason to ground the aircraft, there are signs of nervousness among passengers and operators.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manturov, who travels on the Superjet for work trips, said demand for the aircraft remained strong and production plans were unchanged.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The catastrophe did not affect our customers, either potential or those who have a contract already," Manturov said in the interview cleared for publication on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He did not give a time frame for production of the 200 aircraft and did not say if buyers were lined up for all the planes, although he cited an order from Aeroflot for a further 100 jets, and from Thailand's Thai Kom Airlines, which previously signed a contract for six Superjets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Russia spent $2 billion on developing and setting up production of the Superjet, which has been in operation since 2011.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A state-owned company has completed production of about 200 of the planes since then.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Current annual demand is for 25-30 aircraft compared with initial expectations of 50, due to tough competition with other producers, Manturov said.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>Car and Steel Markets Growth</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking about Russia's car market, Manturov said that the ministry expected 2019 sales to remain flat year-on-year or grow up to 2% as a result of state support, which has totalled more than 20 billion roubles this year ($314 million).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The minister also added that Russia planned to sign a so-called 'special investment contract' with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Co., which started production of Haval F7 models at a plant in Russia in June.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Such contracts provide automakers with access to state subsidies and other measures of support in exchange for investment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manturov also said that he expected Russia's 2019 domestic steel demand to grow 1% compared to 2% in 2018.</p>
<p class="title">Russia plans to produce at least another 200 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, Industry Minister Denis Manturov told Reuters, despite a fatal crash that raised questions about the future of the country's first new passenger jet since the Soviet Union.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An Aeroflot-operated Sukhoi Superjet, which had been flying from Moscow to the northern Russian city of Murmansk, caught fire on May 5 as it made a bumpy emergency landing at a Moscow airport, killing 41 people.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While Russian authorities have said there is no reason to ground the aircraft, there are signs of nervousness among passengers and operators.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manturov, who travels on the Superjet for work trips, said demand for the aircraft remained strong and production plans were unchanged.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The catastrophe did not affect our customers, either potential or those who have a contract already," Manturov said in the interview cleared for publication on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He did not give a time frame for production of the 200 aircraft and did not say if buyers were lined up for all the planes, although he cited an order from Aeroflot for a further 100 jets, and from Thailand's Thai Kom Airlines, which previously signed a contract for six Superjets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Russia spent $2 billion on developing and setting up production of the Superjet, which has been in operation since 2011.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A state-owned company has completed production of about 200 of the planes since then.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Current annual demand is for 25-30 aircraft compared with initial expectations of 50, due to tough competition with other producers, Manturov said.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>Car and Steel Markets Growth</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking about Russia's car market, Manturov said that the ministry expected 2019 sales to remain flat year-on-year or grow up to 2% as a result of state support, which has totalled more than 20 billion roubles this year ($314 million).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The minister also added that Russia planned to sign a so-called 'special investment contract' with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Co., which started production of Haval F7 models at a plant in Russia in June.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Such contracts provide automakers with access to state subsidies and other measures of support in exchange for investment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manturov also said that he expected Russia's 2019 domestic steel demand to grow 1% compared to 2% in 2018.</p>