Russia's civil aviation deteriorates under sanctions, forcing it to dismantle even new aircraft for spare parts
Western sanctions have severely disrupted Russia's civil aviation, leading airlines to cannibalize brand-new planes to keep older aircraft operational due to a critical shortage of spare parts.
Russia's civil aviation sector is deteriorating under the weight of Western sanctions, according to intelligence reports. The sanctions, imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, have restricted Russia's access to aircraft parts and maintenance services. As a result, Russian airlines are now dismantling even brand-new aircraft to obtain spare parts needed to keep older planes in the air.
This practice highlights a severe shortage of spare parts, which threatens the safety and sustainability of Russia's air travel. Cannibalizing new aircraft is an inefficient and costly solution, indicating that Russia's aviation industry is facing structural difficulties.
The intelligence report emphasizes that the situation is worsening as Russia cannot legally purchase Western-made components. Although Russia is trying to develop local aircraft production, it remains heavily dependent on imports. Currently, this dependency has become a critical problem, with even new planes being used as sources of spare parts.
