Aeroflot plans dismantling Boeings for spare parts amid ongoing Western sanctions

"These claims further highlight the pressure on Russia's aviation industry, which faces heavy sanctions from the West that have restricted the transfers of aircraft parts," a source noted. If confirmed, this would mark the first time Russian passenger airlines have had to cannibalize cargo aircraft specifically for spare parts.

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions, there were between 1,500 and 1,800 Western-made aircraft operating in Russia. Since then, Russian airlines have been banned from entering many countries’ airspace and have re-registered planes domestically. All Russian carriers are now on the European Union’s list of airlines banned for safety reasons. Additionally, the US Department of Commerce has prohibited American companies from servicing Boeing planes used by Russian operators.

Previously, Russian airlines could easily obtain spare parts for their Boeing and Airbus fleets directly from manufacturers or certified suppliers. Following sanctions imposed after Russia’s actions in Ukraine, access to new aircraft and maintenance support was cut off completely. As a result, operators turned to cannibalization—the practice of removing usable components from retired or non-operational planes—to keep other jets flying.

This approach can help maintain short-term fleet readiness but often leads to increased long-term costs as more planes become grounded over time due to lack of available spares. It is uncertain whether donor aircraft will return to service if sanctions are lifted in future.

Sanctions outlined by the European Commission ban any export or supply of aircraft parts or equipment to Russia and restrict third-party countries from engaging in such transactions.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines was once one of the world’s major cargo carriers with a global presence spanning over three decades. Its current fleet consists mainly of Antonov An-124s and Ilushin II-76TD-90VDs according to ch-aviation data.

AirBridge Cargo operated out of Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport and Krasnoyarsk until it suspended activities in 2022 because of international restrictions against Russia; most of its fleet was returned to lessors at that time.

ATRAN continues operations using only Antonov An-12BP freighters after retiring its Boeing fleet when initial sanctions were introduced in 2022. The airline conducts cargo charters within Russia and across CIS countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.