By Yang Jian

Five massive military planes from Russia and Algeria landed at Pudong airport on Saturday to pick up coronavirus prevention supplies.

The planes include two IL-76 transports belonging to the Algerian Air Force and another two from the Russian Air Force. An An-124 transport aircraft was also dispatched from Russia.

With the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world are purchasing prevention materials such as masks and hazmat suits from China. The large cargo planes are an ideal way to transport them.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has allocated more flight schedules for the operations of cargo planes.

With the number of international passenger flights slashed to help contain the spread of COVID-19, the administration said it had also encouraged domestic and overseas carriers to use spare passenger aircraft to transport cargo.

In March, a total of 528 additional cargo charter flights have been approved, a nearly five-time increase on year, according to the administration.

At Pudong airport on Saturday, the two IL-76 planes from Algeria landed at 4am after taking off from the Kazan Airport in Russia. They flew back in the afternoon, carrying masks and other materials.

They were followed by the two Russian Air Force's IL-76 planes which landed at 5am and 7am at Pudong. They took off from Novosibirsk airport also on Saturday afternoon.

The An-124 arrived in Shanghai at around 8pm and was scheduled to fly back on Sunday.

Pudong airport has provided increased docking space for cargo planes and fast loading services.

COVID-19 prevention materials are loaded onto the IL-76 cargo plane from Algeria.   COVID-19 prevention materials are loaded onto the IL-76 cargo plane from Russia.