Finnish public broadcaster Yle has conducted an investigation into how Russia continues to obtain spare parts for Western civil aircraft in its fleet despite sanctions.

Source:Yle's article dated 26 June, as reported by European Pravda

Details:Journalists have established that despite sanctions, various spare parts for aircraft worth at least €1 billion have been imported by Russia since February 2022. This has been made possible by a complex network of intermediaries in countries operating as third parties.

Russia has retained approximately 500 Western-made civil aircraft that were leased to them at the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.

Yle's investigation focused on Airbus and Boeing equipment. The information was obtained through Russian customs data received from a commercial operator.

Journalists believe that during the full-scale war, equipment for Airbus worth at least €600 million, including brand new engines, and spare parts for Boeing worth at least €400 million were imported by Russia through various schemes.

The equipment was imported through intermediaries in third-party countries, including Türkiye, China and the UAE. Some of the equipment may have been used by these countries and resold to Russia.

Between February 2022 and August 2024, there were approximately 4,000 deliveries of spare parts for Airbus and Boeing aircraft. More than 360 companies worldwide were involved in the supply chain, many of which are also placed under Western sanctions. Some companies accounted for dozens or even hundreds of shipments, while others accounted for only a few.

About a hundred identified intermediary companies are registered in the UAE, through which about a third of the deliveries passed.

Airbus and Boeing emphasised in response to the broadcaster's request that they comply with sanctions legislation, but made no comment about what measures they are taking to prevent the resale of products to Russia through intermediaries.

Background:

• Earlier, Yle published an investigation into how Russia hid its oil tankers behind fictitious companies in Dubai.
• Finnish customs officials also published an investigation into the possible supply of sanctioned goods to Russia in 2022-2023, involving a company from eastern Finland.

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