Eurocontrol, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, is accusing Russia of “stealing” hundreds of passenger planes, which have been leased to European and American companies. Russian airlines have until Monday March 28th to return the planes under aviation sanctions passed by the European Union after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24th.
Under a law enacted by President Vladimir Putin and published on March 14th, Russian airlines have the option of registering aircraft they lease abroad in Russia so that they can fly on Russian territory. This measure allows companies to continue using these devices for domestic flights despite Western sanctions. If they travel abroad, they will be confiscated.
Most of the planes that can fly abroad are chartered, of European or American origin, that have been stolen from their rightful owners, the lessors.
Henrik Hololei, European Commission’s director general for transport
Eurocontrol director general Eamonn Brennan has warned that 10 billion euros are at stake, when more than 500 airplanes were seized by the Russians and registered in the country. “This creates a very difficult situation for European rental companies and for insurers,” he added.
Enormous fortunes were in fact stolen by the Russians.
Eamonn Brennan, Eurocontrol director general
By re-registering the aircraft in Russia, the country’s authorities are “seriously violating international air law and also the basic law of civil aviation, the Chicago Convention,” Hololei warned, speaking at an online conference of the European air traffic monitoring body Eurocontrol.
