September 21, 2023

Stop My Flight If You Can


Stop My Flight If You Can
Airbus A320-214 Amsterdam schiphol EHAM (17-02-2007)
Pieter van Marion, Wikimedia 
Commons

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the West has banned Russia's import of aircraft and spare parts. This move carried significant consequences, since the majority of Russia’s airline fleet consists of foreign aircraft that would become dangerous to fly if not properly maintained.

Nevertheless, sanctions have not deterred Russian companies from procuring spare parts for aircraft through third countries. According to an investigation by Vazhnyie Istorii, between March 2022 and March 2023, Russia imported spare parts for Boeing and Airbus aircraft valued at R18 billion ($185 million) or more. Leading the list of third-party suppliers were companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, and Turkey.

Some of the foreign companies have close ties to Russia. For instance, the beneficiaries of the UAE-based Griffon company, Irina Gorokhovskaya and Ilya Rysev, both have ties to Russia. They are graduates of the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade and have established two companies in Russia, Simplex and Ameritech, specializing in the supply of aircraft parts.

In addition to suppliers from the UAE, China, and Turkey, certain European Union companies are still engaged with Russia, albeit indirectly, through the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations. One notable example is Lithuania’s Right Direction Aero, which sold spare parts for Boeings to the Kyrgyz company Cargoline and subsequently to the Russian I Fly. Intriguingly, Cargoline was registered just a month after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when Airbus, Boeing, and other Western manufacturers imposed sanctions on Russian airlines.

Journalists from Vazhnyie Istorii contacted the head of the Lithuanian company, who assured them of his strong aversion to the Putin regime and Russian aggression. He claimed not to engage in dealings with Russia and asserted that he diligently scrutinizes his clients for any connections to Russia.

Another EU company that continues to supply aircraft parts to Russia is Apram Aerospace. The owners and managers of this company did not respond to information requests from journalists.

Despite some success in procuring sanctioned components, the Russian civil aviation sector is struggling. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the number of aviation accidents in Russia has increased. In certain instances, pilots have had to make emergency landings.

You Might Also Like

Of War and Yachts
  • August 29, 2023

Of War and Yachts

Despite Russia's War on Ukraine and ongoing sanctions, the Russian state spent $32 million on a yacht linked to Vladimir Putin.
Hoppy Endings
  • August 30, 2023

Hoppy Endings

Heineken has completed its withdrawal from Russia, settling its operations for €1.
A Shortage of Drugs
  • August 23, 2023

A Shortage of Drugs

Nearly 200 medications could vanish from the Russian market due to sanctions and isolation.
A Sanctioned Flight
  • April 10, 2023

A Sanctioned Flight

Journalists discovered a scheme in which a Russian entrepreneur bought planes in the EU, bypassing sanctions.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955