Boeing got a boost yesterday for its slow-selling 747-8 program, with a $7.4 billion memorandum of understanding being signed with Volga-Dnepr. The Russian air cargo group plans to expand its fleet with twenty freighter versions of the widebody.

The deal, signed on Wednesday at the Paris Air Show, also covers the availability of the operator’s Antonov An-124-100 aircraft to help Boeing transport sections of airliners. Volga-Dnepr will purchase or lease the 747-8s over the next seven years.

Meanwhile Ethiopian Airlines announced that it is buying six 787-8 Dreamliners that were previously assigned to an undisclosed customer in the Boeing order book. This will take the African carrier’s 787 fleet to 19.