Moldavian companies sold aircraft parts to Russia for 15 million dollars
Companies from Moldova sold aircraft parts to Russia (photo: UNIAN)
Three Moldovan companies reportedly sold aircraft parts to Russia in 2022-2023, totaling around $15 million, despite sanctions imposed against the aggressor country, according to Radio Europa.
According to an investigation, the supply of spare parts for Russian aircraft through Moldova began several months after Russia invaded Ukraine. Details from Western countries were delivered to the airlines Peremoha and S7 Engineering.
Three Moldovan companies were involved in the scheme – Airrock Solutions, Aerostage Services, and Maxjet Service. The first two were founded in 2021 and 2022, respectively, with their owner being the former top official of Moldovan airline Air Moldova, Ivan Melnikov. The third has been in existence since 2011.
All three companies acted as intermediaries, placing orders for spare parts and then assisting in transporting them to Russia, sometimes directly to Russian airports. The deliveries did not pass through Moldovan territory.
The investigation suggests that Moldova's non-adherence to some EU sanctions against Russia regarding aviation parts shipments might be a contributing factor to this situation.
Sources within the office of the Moldovan president emphasized their awareness of these incidents, stating that competent authorities are already handling the matter.
Sanctions regarding Russian aviation
Recently, it was reported that Russian airlines are experiencing more frequent aircraft breakdowns due to Western sanctions on repairs and spare parts supply.
In Ireland, there is an ongoing investigation into aircraft that may be considered stolen. As a result, Russian companies may face the potential confiscation of 37 aircraft outside of Russia.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has filed a lawsuit with the High Anti-Corruption Court seeking the application of sanctions to seize two aircraft from the Russian company Ilyushin Finance Co. for the benefit of the state.
Additionally, Russia's largest private airline, S7 Airlines, is planning to reduce its workforce. The reason behind this decision is attributed to the challenging aviation landscape.
