China refuses to supply aircraft components to Russian airlines
China has refused to supply Russian airlines with aircraft components. "We have instructed the airlines to determine themselves where it is possible to purchase these spare parts. As far as I know, they [the airlines] turned to China, but the Chinese refused, " Valery Kudinov, head of Airworthiness Maintenance Department of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, told reporters on the sidelines of the MRO Russia & CIS conference.
According to him, now Russian carriers will look for opportunities to purchase aircraft parts in other countries, for example, in Turkey or India. Kudinov noted that each company will take care of procurement of aircraft component in its own.
On February 26, as part of a package of sanctions imposed for Russia's attack on Ukraine, the European Union banned the sale and supply, including leasing, of aircraft and spare parts for them to Russian airlines. Any insurance services for these aircraft were also banned. In addition, it is forbidden to do any repair or upgrade work for Russian airlines. The EU document notes that this measure applies to any aircraft, regardless of where they are produced.
Valery Kudinov said that Russian companies intend to return some aircraft to foreign lease providers. "Part of the fleet will be returned," he said, adding that the air carriers themselves will decide which aircraft to return.
On March 4, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency demanded that Russian airlines re-register aircraft in the national register and apply for domestic airworthiness certificates. Now most of the aircraft fleet of Russian carriers is registered in other countries, such as Bermuda (UK) and Ireland.
According to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, almost 180 aircraft have re-registered in the Russian national register. Among them are Aeroflot, Pobeda and Utair.