Moscow, June 6 - Russia's flag carrier, Aeroflot, is nearing the completion of a complex and significant process to settle deals for the last 36 planes leased from Western companies, marking a critical step in resolving the fate of aircraft stranded in Russia following geopolitical tensions. This development, as reported on June 5, 2025, involves negotiations with Western insurers and leasing firms for the remaining 36 aircraft out of a total of 228 that Aeroflot had agreed to buy. The airline's head, Sergei Aleksandrovski, shared these insights in an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, highlighting that these planes represent the final batch owned by fully fledged foreign lessors currently in the active phase of insurance settlement. The agreements for these aircraft are expected to be finalized between May and July 2025, a timeline that underscores the urgency and complexity of the process.
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The backdrop to this situation began in 2022, when Moscow's invasion of Ukraine triggered Western sanctions that disrupted the aviation industry. At the time, approximately 400 aircraft leased to Russian airlines by foreign companies, such as AerCap and BOC Aviation, became stranded in Russia. These sanctions required lessors to repossess their planes, but Russia responded by seizing hundreds of these commercial airliners, valued at an estimated $12.4 billion according to CNN reports from 2022, to keep them operational within the country. The majority of these aircraft, including 305 Airbus jets, 332 Boeing jets, and 83 regional jets built by manufacturers like Bombardier and Embraer, were foreign-owned, with only 144 of Russia’s active planes domestically produced. This move prevented the collapse of Russia’s aviation sector but left lessors and insurers facing significant financial losses.
Previous settlements have seen international lessors transfer ownership of the planes to a Russian state insurance company, NSK, which utilized state budgetary funds to purchase them and then handed them over to Russian airlines. For instance, by December 2023, Russia had bought out 92 aircraft using 190 billion rubles ($2.06 billion) from the National Welfare Fund, with Aeroflot acquiring 28, Ural Airlines 19, and S7 Airlines 45. The total value of settlements to date has reached at least $2.7 billion for over a quarter of the stranded fleet. However, for the remaining 36 planes, Aeroflot’s approach differs. Sergei Aleksandrovski noted that government money will not be used this time, and the settlements will instead be funded through Aeroflot’s own resources and borrowed funds. While the exact value of this deal remains undisclosed, this shift signals a move toward greater financial independence for the airline in resolving these claims.
The challenges extend beyond ownership. Western sanctions have restricted Russia’s access to spare parts and maintenance for these foreign-built aircraft, complicating their operation. Additionally, the lack of valid airworthiness certificates limits their use internationally, as Russia’s re-registration of these planes has drawn criticism for violating global aviation norms. Meanwhile, Russia’s domestic aviation industry has struggled, with production of aircraft like the Sukhoi Superjet 100 stalling and delays plaguing models such as the MS-21, SJ-100, Tu-214, Il-114, and Baikal, as reported by Kommersant in March 2024. Aeroflot’s efforts to settle these final 36 leases reflect a pragmatic push to stabilize its fleet, which totals 349 aircraft, amid ongoing constraints. This process not only addresses the legal and financial entanglements with Western lessors but also underscores Russia’s broader strategy to adapt its aviation sector to a new reality shaped by sanctions and isolation from Western markets.