Russia’s heavy reliance on foreign technology, especially in the area of transportation, such as the aviation industry, causes serious concern, after the sanctions placed on the country after February 2022 take away most of the resources. One of the industries most impacted by the sanctions the United States and its allies placed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine was aviation. The ramifications of the sanction even included “direct flights disappearing and Russian airlines losing access to spare parts for their foreign airplacnes.” Steven Harris claims in his research. These sanctions were initially aimed to break off aviation ties and prevented direct flights from being available, however Russia retaliated by barring access to its airspace for nations imposing sanctions.
“It used to be so easy to go home for a weekend, a two hour flight and I’m at my nana’s, eating pirozhki. But now not only does it take at least two lengthy flights and a whole day of travel, but it also costs a fortune.” – Ivan Alimirzoev, international student at Edinburgh University.
There have been notable low points in the past relationships between Russia and other nations when it came to aviation, however the current sanctions bring a new degree of impact. Russian-made aircrafts have seen the effects of the sanctions firsthand. Many of Russia’s aircrafts consisted of foreign-made parts before the sanctions, as 298 Airbuses and 236 Boeings, or in other words 70% of Russia’s aircrafts were built abroad (Harris, 2023). As a result, the sanctions have caused several issues, such as price increases brought on by the increased cost of repairs, and the cancellation of many flights.
Сухой Суперджет 100 / Ilya Varlamov / TELETYPE
Recently, as of the start of 2024, the situation has become so dire, that the Russian aviation industry has resorted to airplane cannibalism, where they do not fix malfunctioning aircrafts, but rather take them apart, and use the parts for other aeroplanes. Russian aerial manufacturing has clearly been affected by sanctions, as western technology is essential for Russian aircrafts, such as the Yakovlev MC-21 and the Sukhoi Superjet 100. The Yakovlev MC-21 is therefore now running behind schedule, as it has to replace its Western-manufactured parts, which take time to be developed anew, but now within the country.
Further demonstrating the dependence on foreign technology, sanctions have forced Russia out of joint ventures such as the CR929 Widebody Aircraft Project with China. Russia has increased governmental control over the aviation industry in response to these issues, as the government owns most of Aeroflot, Rossiya, and other Russian based airlines. By facilitating the unlawful confiscation of foreign aircrafts, the Russian government has assisted the nation’s airlines in enduring sanctions, as they have sourced replacement parts through intermediaries, in countries like Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which is why now, all of the flights to Russia have to go through either turkey, the UAE, or Serbia.
Photo by KVN1777 / Shutterstock.com
However, the longer the sanctions stay in place, the more difficult it is for Russia to continue operating its aviation industry. The state brags about the UAC’s capabilities, claiming it does not require foreign planes or overall technologies, however the inefficiencies and delays provide a different impression.
“Russian aviation will become less inventive, less efficient, and more costly as a result.” – Steven Harris.
Due to sanctions, Russian aviation’s future seems dim, with a greater reliance on the government and less efficiency. While the aviation safety has not significantly declined despite these difficulties since the sanctions, multiple experts claim that in around five years, it will not be safe to travel on Russian-made aircrafts. Therefore the future of Russian aviation remains uncertain, with potential safety risks and economic inefficiencies looming ahead. The sanctions imposed and Russia’s reliance on foreign technology provide severe obstacles for the country’s aircraft sector, resulting in inefficient operations and an unclear development of the situation.