Russia's Largest Airline Moves All Aircraft to National Jurisdiction

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Rossiya Airlines, a subsidiary of the Russian flagship carrier Aeroflot, has transferred its entire fleet of 125 aircraft under Russian jurisdiction to maintain uninterrupted air communication with remote regions amid Western sanctions, the company said on Wednesday.

"Rossiya Airlines has transferred all aircraft in use to Russian jurisdiction. All procedures are carried out in accordance with the Russian aviation legislation. The receipt of Russian airworthiness certificates will allow the airline to continue using the fleet of foreign-made aircraft under the country’s national flag to ensure uninterrupted air communication with remote regions. There are 125 Rossiya aircraft in the Russian aircraft register," the company said in a press release.

When flying to foreign states via these routes, the country will use aircraft listed in the Russian aviation register and owned by Russian leasing companies to minimize possible disruptions in flight schedules.

Rossiya Airlines is the largest Russian operator of domestically produced aircraft, with 68 Sukhoi Superjet 100 planes in its fleet.

Earlier in March, the Russian Agency for Air Transport advised Russian airlines with aircraft in foreign registries to suspend flights abroad and from abroad to avoid their detention amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. In response to the operation, a number of Western countries have imposed sanctions against Russia, with many of them closing their airspace to all Russian flights.