U.S. Sanctions Russia’s Pobeda For Importing Restricted Components

Aeroflot Group’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda has become the first Russian commercial airline included in the U.S. Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN).

Pobeda’s continued efforts to import G7-origin parts for its seized U.S.-made aircraft in violation of U.S. export restrictions was cited by the U.S. State Department as the reason for the decision. Announced on May 1, the sanction bans U.S. citizens and legal entities from having any contact with the Russian carrier.

In 2023, Pobeda imported over $1 million of restricted aircraft components of U.S. origin from Dubai-based entities ATS Heavy Equipment, Crynofist Aviation and Polarstar Logistics, as well as from the Turkish company Alpha Visit Shop Dis Ticaret Limited, the State Department said. In January 2024, the Russian carrier was identified as a consignee for the transportation of aircraft parts from India to Russia through the U.S.-sanctioned Iranian airline Mahan Air.

Until this decision the only Russian carriers to be included in the SDN list were the 223rd and 224th Flight Units affiliated with the Russian Defense Ministry.

The fact that Russian airlines including Pobeda continue to import spare parts for their Western-made fleets despite the restrictions in place has been previously reported. Independent Russian media outlet Verstka revealed customs data in August 2023 showing Pobeda had imported spare parts valued at $13 million from the beginning of that year. Documents revealed over $3.5 million worth parts from Honeywell and over $2 million worth items from Rockwell Collins and Boeing had been brought into Russia.

With western sanctions severely limiting Russian carriers’ aftermarket options, Aeroflot established a working relationship with Mahan Air in 2023 to service its Airbus A330 widebodies. The first aircraft returned to Moscow from its C-Check in Tehran in March 2024 while another airframe was sent there in November 2023.

Pobeda has 42 Boeing 737-800s in its fleet, 41 of which are currently in service, according to Aviation Week Network’s Tracked Aircraft Utilization tool. It is now Russia’s second-largest carrier by passengers carried, only behind its parent airline. Pobeda was established at the end of 2018 shortly after Aeroflot’s previous low-cost subsidiary Dobrolet had to suspend operations due to European sanctions introduced following Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine in 2014.