Russia Seized 10 Times More Airliners Than It Lost To Sanctions

Russia's Transport Minister has come out with what he says is the final tally of aircraft lost and gained when sanctions from the Ukraine invasion were imposed and it would appear the country made out like bandits. Vitaly Savelyev told Russian media outlet RBC (and translated by Business Insider) that 76 Russian-registered aircraft were stranded outside the country when most countries closed their airspace to them almost two years ago. By contrast, Russia effectively seized more than 800 aircraft owned by Western leasing companies and put them on its own registry.

Savelyev suggested Russia was the aggrieved party in the whole affair. "We were unexpectedly taken by surprise by the decision to take away the planes," Business Insider quoted Savelyev as saying. The aircraft were outside the country for maintenance, storage or on flights. An An-124 owned by Volga Dnepr is caught up in a diplomatic snarl in Toronto. It was supposed to be donated to Ukraine, but the cargo company has since sued the Canadian government alleging the seizure of the plane violates a trade treaty between the two countries.

Savelyev says the country has 1,302 commercial aircraft, 1,167 of them airliners. Many of those are in a state of questionable airworthiness, however, since the sanctions have virtually stopped the flow of parts needed to maintain the aircraft. Savelyev said Russia has actually offered to buy some of the seized planes from the leasing companies but to no avail. "There is a ban and a demand for return; they do not want to enter into negotiations on compensation for their payment and the purchase of ships from them," Savelyev said. Sending the planes back is out of the question, he added, because doing so "means leaving itself without aviation."