Russia Moves to Extend Foreign-Leased Aircraft Operations Through 2028

Russia's Ministry of Transport has drafted a new government resolution that would allow domestic airlines to continue operating foreign commercial aircraft and engines leased from overseas leasing companies until 31 December 2028. The proposed two-year extension prolongs a special wartime legal framework enacted in the wake of Western sanctions, enabling Russian carriers to keep hundreds of Western-built airliners in service despite unresolved international ownership claims.

The measure amends Government Resolution No. 412, which was originally adopted on 19 March 2022 following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the imposition of comprehensive aviation sanctions by the European Union and the United States. Designed to shield the domestic civil aviation sector from fleet groundings, the resolution permitted Russian carriers to retain Western-manufactured airliners rather than return them to international lessors as demanded by contractual termination notices.

Extending the Framework of Resolution No. 412

Originally conceived as a temporary emergency measure for 2022, Government Resolution No. 412 has seen successive extensions, first through the end of 2024 and subsequently to 31 December 2026. According to Russian business daily Vedomosti, which reviewed the newly drafted amendment, the Transport Ministry is now formalising a further two-year prolongation to maintain fleet stability through late 2028.

An explanatory note accompanying the Transport Ministry's draft states that the measure was prepared "to protect the rights of Russian legal entities in connection with actions by countries Moscow considers unfriendly." Under the regulatory regime, Russian carriers operate foreign airframes and engines under dedicated domestic protocols governing lease remittances, flight operations, airworthiness monitoring, maintenance, and insurance. Maintenance and engineering overhauls must be performed by Russian organisations holding local state compliance approvals, while hull insurance and reinsurance are underwritten exclusively by domestic Russian insurers.

Scale of the Disputed Commercial Fleet

The ongoing extension highlights the unresolved legal and operational status of Western aircraft operating across the Russian Federation. In February 2022, Russian commercial carriers operated approximately 515 aircraft leased from international leasing firms, representing a cumulative market value estimated at around $10 billion. Following the introduction of international sanctions, Western lessors terminated lease agreements and demanded the immediate repossession of their assets.

While some aircraft were impounded at foreign airports or returned during the opening weeks of the conflict, 407 foreign-leased aircraft remained inside Russian territory. Between 2022 and 2025, Russian carriers successfully reached settlement agreements and financial buyouts with foreign lessors covering 204 airframes. However, approximately 203 commercial aircraft remain without settled ownership claims, leaving their legal titles in limbo between Western lessors and Russian operators.

Operational Realities and Maintenance Headwinds

Although Resolution No. 412 establishes domestic legal cover, it does not automatically transfer aircraft title deeds or resolve underlying civil liabilities under international aviation conventions. Russian airlines continue to grapple with severe supply-chain constraints, relying on alternative component procurement and domestic maintenance capabilities to sustain daily flight schedules across transcontinental routes.

By extending the special operating regime through December 2028, Moscow signals that the domestic air transport network will remain dependent on Western-built Boeing and Airbus aircraft for the foreseeable future. Delays in domestic aircraft manufacturing programmes have heightened the imperative for Russian authorities to keep the existing foreign fleet airworthy, ensuring essential regional passenger connectivity across the country's vast airspace.