Russia has started disassembling cargo Boeings to repair civilian aircraft - Foreign Intelligence Service
Eight Boeing aircraft will be used for spare parts for subsidiaries due to a shortage of spare parts and sanctions.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Russian cargo airlines Volga-Dnepr and Aeroflot have signed an agreement on the transfer of eight Boeing aircraft to the latter. These aircraft will be used as spare parts donors to maintain the technical condition and continue the operation of the carrier's existing aircraft fleet," the statement said.
Under the contract, six Boeing 737-800BCFs and two Boeing 747-400s will be transferred to Aeroflot's subsidiaries, Pobeda and Rossiya airlines, under financial leases. The deal is worth approximately US$130 million and is financed by the Russian National Welfare Fund.
At the beginning of 2022, Russia had approximately 1,500–1,800 Western-made civil aircraft in operation. Today, this figure has decreased significantly due to international sanctions that have blocked access to foreign aircraft and spare parts.
As a result, Russian airlines are forced to:
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ground aircraft;
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purchase spare parts through unofficial channels, without any guarantee of quality or safety;
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decommission serviceable aircraft for temporary repairs to other aircraft.
The contract between Volga-Dnepr and Aeroflot was the first on the Russian market where a passenger airline receives cargo aircraft exclusively for dismantling into spare parts.
"In the medium term, this will lead to a reduction in the aircraft fleet, an increase in transportation costs, and further degradation of Russian civil aviation. If current conditions persist, Russia's aircraft fleet could shrink by more than half by 2026," the report said.
