Yekaterinburg (TDI): Russia is in discussions with Kazakhstan and other “friendly nations” regarding the possibility of allowing foreign airlines to operate domestic routes within the country.
This initiative comes as Russia’s civil aviation sector grapples with the repercussions of Western sanctions imposed after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
While Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit did not directly address the sanctions in his media talk, he cited a global shortage of aircraft during a recent forum, , according to media reports.
“We are negotiating with friendly countries,” Starovoit stated to journalists in Yekaterinburg.
“For example, we are in talks with Kazakhstan.” He noted that Kazakhstan has experienced a 35% increase in “aviation mobility” this year.
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Starovoit explained that the worldwide shortage of aircraft has created challenges for countries looking to expand their aviation services.
“The fact is that there is currently a shortage of aircraft all over the world,” he remarked.
“We see that, against the backdrop of growth in transportation in foreign countries, this shortage leads to difficulties for other nations in addressing their aviation needs.”
The concept under discussion is known as cabotage, which involves using aircraft registered in one country to transport passengers or goods within another country.
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Although this practice is relatively uncommon for commercial airlines—due to countries’ preferences to support their domestic markets—rules can be more lenient for private or business aviation.
Traditionally, Russian airlines have depended on Western aircrafts, making them particularly vulnerable to sanctions that restrict access to spare parts and essential supplies.
Following the onset of the war, Western companies demanded the return of hundreds of leased aircraft, a request that Russia has so far ignored.
The industry now relies heavily on state support to remain operational.
