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Russian Airlines Are Cannibalizing Jets as Sanctions Stop Spare-Part Sales

Thanks to Putin, Russian plane operators can no longer buy vital components from abroad.

Russian airlines are reported to have started stripping jetliners for parts that they are now unable to buy from overseas suppliers, thanks to Western sanctions. The Kremlin in June advised local airlines to use some planes for parts in order to keep foreign-built aircraft flying until 2025. Russian travel firms have been prevented from sending their vehicles for important maintenance in the West as a result of sanctions imposed on Russia since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. An almost brand-new Airbus 350 operated by Aeroflot is thought to be among the aircraft currently being taken apart for spares, Reuters reports. Russian-built Sukhoi Superjets are also heavily dependent on foreign parts for maintenance. “Western manufacturers understand that almost all Superjets are being operated in Russia,” said Oleg Panteleev, head of the Aviaport aviation think tank. “You can simply stop producing and shipping spare parts—and it will hurt.”