Russia moves to let airlines keep flying foreign-leased planes they never returned after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Source: Vedomosti

Russia’s Transport Ministry is proposing to extend, until the end of 2028, the special regime that allows Russian airlines to operate foreign aircraft and engines leased from foreign companies, Vedomosti reported, citing a draft government resolution it had reviewed.

The resolution in question, Government Resolution No. 412, was adopted in March 2022. It allowed Russian airlines to keep planes leased before the full-scale war began instead of returning them, and to insure the aircraft under Russian rules. The regime was originally set to expire at the end of 2024 but was later extended through the end of 2026.

An explanatory note attached to the Transport Ministry’s draft, which amends Resolution No. 412, says the document was prepared “to protect the rights of legal entities in connection with the actions of unfriendly countries.”

After the full-scale war began in 2022, foreign leasing companies demanded the return of planes they had leased to Russian airlines. At the same time, the European Union imposed sanctions banning the supply of civilian aircraft and parts to Russia, along with their maintenance and insurance. At that time, Russian airlines had 515 leased planes. Some of the aircraft were seized abroad, while others were returned or bought out. Over the three years from 2022 to 2025, Russian airlines settled claims from foreign lessors on 204 of the remaining 407 planes, the Russian business daily Vedomosti reported.

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Russia moves to let airlines keep flying foreign-leased planes they never returned after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

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