January 24, 2026

Turbulence (and Cannibalization) for Russian Airlines


Turbulence (and Cannibalization) for Russian Airlines
High in the sky, but of low quality. The Russian Life files

The 2022 sanctions have had a profound impact on Russian aviation.

Every year, more Russian aircraft become unfit for service are being withdrawn from the fleet, and it is impossible to replace them with new ones. Airlines have been denied access to Western-made aircraft and spare parts; authorities have announced plans to establish local production, but have not yet been able to do so.

Izvestia reported that, in 2025, passenger traffic declined due to fleet contraction. To maintain the fleet, however, old aircraft is being resurrected. According to sources at Rostec, Russian carriers have received over ten Tu-204-214, An-148, and Il-96 aircraft, all developed back in the Soviet era. In particular, two Tu-204s are to be received for recommissioning in the next two years. According to Izvestia, these aircraft are “as much as 30 years old.” 

There are plans to bring back not only domestic but also foreign aircraft, such as American-made Boeing 747s that were retired during the pandemic. A source at Izvestia claimed that there are enough spare parts to restore two such aircraft. However, Russia does not have the equipment to rebuild them, so this “may be carried out in friendly countries, such as Iran.” 

The shortage of spare parts leads to “aircraft cannibalization”: the use of parts from old aircraft to repair new ones. Russian pilots also face challenges due to the loss of access to international navigation systems and distortions in GPS signals caused by jamming during military operations. All this, of course, leads to an increase in the number of quite serious technical failures and plane crashes. 

“The risks are getting bigger, but for passengers these risks are not yet very significant,” said aviation journalist Andrei Menshenin in an interview with Meduza. “Planes won't start crashing in droves tomorrow... but if this trend continues, in ten years' time, flight safety in Russia will probably be on a par with Angola.” 

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