According to data from the Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia, Russian airlines have decreased their fleet of Western-made passenger aircraft by 9% since the end of 2022. This decrease underscores the expanding influence of international sanctions, which have prevented Russian airlines from procuring new Western aircraft and have restricted their access to spare parts and maintenance services from Western manufacturers.
The 20 largest Russian airlines, which operated a total of 575 Western-built passenger jets as of April 2025, were responsible for 97% of the country’s air passenger traffic in 2021. This represents a 54 aircraft decrease since the end of 2022. The Boeing 747 fleet experienced a 78% decrease, while the Boeing 767 fleet experienced a 50% decrease. The biggest reductions were observed in the older wide-body models. The next-generation Airbus A321neo and narrow-body Boeing 757s were both reduced by 36% and 38%, respectively. The decrease in the number of A321neo aircraft was a result of the retirement of all eight A321neo jets of S7 Airlines, which were equipped with problematic PW1100G engines, as well as six A320neo aircraft. By adding additional Airbus A320s from the previous generation, the S7 was able to mitigate this loss, resulting in a net reduction of only 8% in its fleet.
The overall reduction was substantially influenced by the closure of charter carrier Royal Flight, which operated Boeing 757s and 767s. The proportionate losses were most severe for airlines with smaller fleets. For instance, Ikar reduced its fleet by 25% by retiring two Embraer 190s, Yakutia by 22% by retiring one Boeing 737 and two DHC-8s, and Yamal by 21% by retiring five A320/321s and one SSJ 100. Five airlines, namely Alrosa, Nordwind, Smartavia, NordStar, and RusLine, maintained consistent fleet sizes during this time.
Only those airlines that concentrated on the acquisition of Russian- or Soviet-made aircraft were able to expand their fleets. By acquiring six Antonov An-24/26 turboprops, IrAero expanded its fleet by 21%. It is probable that the aircraft added by IrAero were previously constructed and obtained from existing inventories or other operators, rather than being newly manufactured. In 2023, the Russians investigated the possibility of procuring An-24 aircraft components from China, as these aircraft were manufactured in Ukraine. The Xi’an Y-7 is a twin-turboprop transport/passenger aircraft that is manufactured in China. It is derived from the Antonov An-24 series, which was designed by the Soviet Union.
The An-24, An-26, and An-2 are the primary aircraft used by regional and interregional airlines. The TVRS-44 “Ladoga” aircraft (capacity 44 people) will replace the first two in the future, while the LMS-901 “Baikal” (capacity 9 people, with intentions to increase to 12-14 seats) will replace the An-2.
The Russian-built SSJ 100 is operated by Azimuth, which has increased its fleet by 18% with the addition of three new aircraft. After the acquisition of four SSJ 100s and one Tupolev Tu-204, Red Wings experienced a 13% increase in growth. In April 2025, the combined fleet of the top 20 carriers, which included Russian and Soviet variants, totaled 748 aircraft, a mere 6% decrease from two and a half years prior.
The capacity of Russian airlines to import new Western aircraft or maintain their existing fleets has been significantly restricted by sanctions implemented following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Airlines have been forced to cannibalize grounded aircraft for spares, a strategy that is unsustainable in the long term, as Western manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus are prohibited from providing technical support or parts. Industry leaders have expressed concern that the viability of both domestic and international air service may be jeopardized if nearly 30% of Russia’s Western-built aircraft are grounded within the next five years. The Russian government has responded with ambitious plans to increase domestic aircraft production; however, progress has been sluggish, and the gap left by retiring Western jets remains substantial.
The 9% decrease in Western-made aircraft is a clear indication of the increasing pressure on Russian airlines. Although some airlines have been able to adjust by transitioning to domestically manufactured aircraft, the general trend indicates that the fleet is aging and contracting, with additional reductions anticipated unless domestic production can be accelerated to meet demand.
Russian airlines have retired at least several dozen medium-haul Western aircraft, primarily from the Airbus A320/321 family, Boeing 757s, and a few 767s, since the end of 2022. The precise figure is not provided; however, the reduction in these types is a significant factor in the total 54 Western-built aircraft that were retired during this period.
19% of the aircraft in the fleet of Russian airlines are domestic. Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer should be supplanted by the Russian MC-21-310 (capacity 181-211 people) and Tu-214 (up to 210 people) in the future. The nation also operates the SSJ-100, a domestic short-haul aircraft with a capacity of 98-103 people.
Official Website of Youtube Channel – Altitude Addicts