Russia’s flag carrier, Aeroflot, is reportedly preparing to dismantle eight Boeing cargo aircraft to ensure the airworthiness of its passenger fleet, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service. These aircraft are believed to come from Volga Dnepr Airlines, a Russian air charter provider, under a contract valued at approximately $130 million.
As part of this arrangement, six Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft and two Boeing 747-400 aircraft will be transferred to Aeroflot’s subsidiaries, Pobeda and Rossiya Airlines, through financial leasing agreements. The deal is expected to be financed using funds from Russia’s National Welfare Fund.
If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of a Russian passenger airline acquiring cargo aircraft specifically for dismantling and use as spare parts. This would highlight the growing strain on Russia’s aviation industry, which is struggling to keep Western-built aircraft operational amid international sanctions.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it was estimated that the country operated between 1,500 and 1,800 Western-made commercial aircraft. Following the imposition of sanctions by the United States and the European Union, Russian operators lost access to new aircraft, spare parts, and certified maintenance support. Because of that carriers have been forced to seek alternative and often unofficial solutions to keep their fleets operational.
The practice of dismantling grounded aircraft for components, known as cannibalization, has become increasingly common. However, parts obtained through unofficial supply channels often lack manufacturer warranties or verifiable maintenance records, raising long-term safety and reliability concerns.
Ukraine’s intelligence service projects that if current conditions persist, Russia’s active civil aircraft fleet could shrink by more than half by 2026.
