Air TransportRussia turns to grounded Boeing 747s and other aging aircraft to expand commercial fleets
Russian airlines are preparing to return long-stored aircraft to active service, including aging Boeing 747s, as sanctions continue to restrict access to new aircraft, spare parts and manufacturer support, according to RBC-Ukraine, citing the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
The intelligence service says that in 2026 and 2027 Russian carriers plan to recommission aircraft that are largely more than 30 years old. The move is described as a forced response to a shrinking fleet, limited maintenance options and the absence of realistic renewal prospects under sanctions.
Particular attention was drawn to the renewed use of the Boeing 747, a four-engine widebody that is now largely phased out of passenger service worldwide because of high operating costs and poor fuel efficiency compared with newer twin-engine aircraft.
According to the report, Rossiya Airlines is expanding its fleet of Boeing 747s inherited after the bankruptcy of Transaero Airlines. Many of these aircraft are more than 20 years old and had spent years in storage before being returned to service.
The intelligence service notes that the recommissioning of Western-built aircraft highlights the severity of the situation, as such jets no longer receive direct manufacturer support in Russia. Access to certified spare parts, technical documentation and approved maintenance solutions remains constrained, complicating the continued operation of complex widebody aircraft such as the 747.
Ukranian An-148
Alongside foreign-made aircraft, Russia is also reactivating older domestically produced models. Under an aircraft renewal program extended through 2027, 10 of 12 planned aircraft have already been returned to service, including Tupolev Tu-204/214, Ilyushin Il-96 and Antonov An-148 types. Two additional Tu-204 aircraft are expected to re-enter service in 2026–2027, despite what the intelligence service described as their technical and operational obsolescence.
As of October 2025, Russia’s largest airlines operated a combined fleet of 1,135 aircraft, of which 1,088 were active. About 67% of the fleet consisted of foreign-built aircraft, which the intelligence service says are increasingly difficult to sustain because of sanctions and shortages of spare parts.
The crisis is described as particularly acute in the cargo aviation sector. Air freight traffic in Russia fell from 9.2 billion ton-kilometres in 2021 to 1.9 billion ton-kilometres in 2024, according to the same assessment.
About the Author
Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
