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

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.
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.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
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.

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