"Aircraft produced abroad continue to be actively supplied to Russia through third countries - at least 28 units were imported in 2024 alone. These include both light aircraft used for training flights, education, or forest protection, as well as large passenger liners that operate regular flights within the country," the report states.
The publication noted that sanctions on the supply of foreign-made aircraft and their components to Russia were imposed after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and it stated that "Western countries have not yet succeeded in cutting off this flow of supplies."
"Verstka" reports that the first Russian suspected of importing aircraft in violation of sanctions was detained in the U.S. only in December 2024. This concerns Sergey Nechaev, accused of attempting to illegally export two small Cessna aircraft to Russia through Armenia, which are "typically used for training cadets" and flown by "private amateur pilots."
The material from Russian journalists also mentions that due to sanction violations, "dozens of aircraft have been seized" in the U.S. and EU.
"The remaining [in Russia] aircraft are being repaired through 'cannibalization' – removing parts from other aircraft – or the necessary spare parts are being imported in violation of sanctions," emphasizes "Verstka."
Among the aircraft that were imported into Russia in violation of sanctions, the publication mentions, in particular, a Junkers bomber from Nazi Germany (worth over $1 million), two Aero Commander 680V aircraft (intended for civil aviation), and a single-engine six-seat Piper PA-28RT-201T.
Journalists have discovered that a pilot involved in the import of this equipment is Evgeny Kabanov, a board member of the Russian Association of Pilots and Aircraft Owners, who is the founder of the Turkish company Edermont LTD and the Kyrgyz "Edermont Pamir." In customs declarations, these firms are listed as the senders of the Cessna aircraft.
In Kabanov's messages in a Telegram chat dedicated to aviation, "Verstka" found two methods for importing sanctioned aircraft into Russia: "by their own means" (undergoing Russian registration) and shipping by land or sea in disassembled condition, in a container, through an "intermediate destination."
The authors of the material noted that those commenting on Kabanov complained about the high cost of his company's services.
"Most often, prohibited aircraft for sale in Russia in 2024 were imported through Turkey (11 times), three times through Oman, twice through the UAE and Germany. Among the countries of departure are Serbia, Sweden, Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia. In several cases, the senders are concealed in the customs declaration, with only the trading country code indicated, such as Ireland and Cyprus," the publication writes.
According to its data, in violation of sanctions, 14 American aircraft, seven Canadian, and six French were imported in 2024. In addition to those mentioned above, the delivered aircraft to Russia include Bombardier passenger planes and Airbus A319-111, as well as ATR 42-500.