As Western sanctions begin to bite, plane crashes in Russia more than doubled in 2023
The number of safety incidents on Russian planes more than doubled in 2023 as Russia struggles to access Western-made spare parts because of sanctions, The Wall Street Journal reported.
74 safety incidents were recorded among local operators in Russia last year, up from 36 in 2022, according to Jacdec, a German aviation database that tracks safety incidents across all aircraft with 19 seats or more.
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Sanctions imposed after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion are a primary reason for the significant increase in incidents, an indication of how Western sanctions are hindering the country’s ability to source spare parts and conduct proper maintenance.
“The sanctions imposed on Russian airlines have significantly impeded the maintenance of aircraft airworthiness and their technical condition,” said Oleksandr Laneckij, CEO of Lithuania-based aviation consulting firm Friendly Avia Support.
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Russia is particularly exposed to shortages of landing gears and brakes and has had to send aircraft to Iran for maintenance, according to experts tracking the impact of sanctions. A shortage of parts for simulators has raised concerns about Russia’s ability to train new pilots and run required refresher courses, The Wall Street Journal wrote.
A total of 1,031 aircraft with 19 seats or more are currently registered in Russia, almost two-thirds of which are built by foreign manufacturers including Airbus and Boeing, according to Cirium data.
Russia’s total operational fleet is forecast to more than halve by 2026, according to consultants at Oliver Wyman management consulting firm.
"This will be a blow for the world’s largest country by territory, where air travel is crucial to keep the economy ticking," the WSJ wrote.
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