Aeroflot, Russia's largest airline, is considering buying Antonov An-158 short-haul airliners and Russian MS-21 medium-haul airliners, the company's general director, Vitaly Savelyev, said on Wednesday.

"We have made large orders for imported aircraft; in particular, we are expecting to increase our fleet by 22 Boeing-787 Dreamliner aircraft, 22 Airbus A350 aircraft and An-148 airliners. We are also considering (buying) An-158 aircraft and are pinning hopes on the promising MS-21 aircraft," Savelyev said, adding that Aeroflot owned the youngest fleet in Europe.

The An-158 aircraft is a stretched fuselage version of the An-148 short-haul aircraft. The airplane successfully completed its first flight in April 2010.

The Irkut MS-21 airliner is a twin-engine jet aircraft with a capacity of 150-212 passengers being designed and produced by the Irkut corporation and the Yakovlev design bureau, part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation. The model was presented for the first time at Farnborough international airshow in 2010.

In June, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized Aeroflot over its plans to buy more foreign-built airliners.

MOSCOW, November 17 (RIA Novosti)