Members of Russia’s affluent class are utilizing Canadian-manufactured luxury aircraft that were brought into the country following the implementation of sanctions on its aviation sector, according to findings by CBC’s visual investigations unit. Russian import records accessed by CBC News indicate that since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, 34 business jets and commercial planes produced in Canada and resold on the secondary market have made their way to Russia.
These records, along with flight data, industry documents, and leaked border-crossing information, disclose that oligarch Igor Kesaev, who is under sanctions, imported a Bombardier business jet in July 2023. Another jet was brought in via a company largely owned by Sergey Shishkarev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additional jets were acquired by Russian airlines specializing in charter flights.
Many Western analysts suggest that these aircraft reach Russia through loopholes that allow importers to circumvent sanctions by routing the planes through nations sympathetic to Russia, such as Oman and Kyrgyzstan. “Russia has managed to navigate around these sanctions using a modernized black market approach,” stated Fen Hampson, an international affairs professor at Carleton University in Ottawa. He emphasized that little has been done to impede these transactions.
Kesaev’s legal representative, Roeland Moeyersons from the EU-Sanctions law firm in Belgium, declined to provide comments on the matter. Despite attempts to reach out, there was no response from Shishkarev’s Delo Group.
Bombardier refrained from commenting on specific aircraft, emphasizing that they were sold on the secondary market without the company’s direct involvement and asserting compliance with sanctions.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, the EU, U.S., and Canada imposed sanctions on exporting aircraft and components to Russia. Despite the significant impact on Russia’s aviation industry, predominantly reliant on Western aircraft, reports indicate that over $1 billion worth of aircraft and parts have been reportedly imported into the country.
In a recent development, a Bombardier Global Express business jet was brought into Russia by Delo Group from Australia via Oman, as per records shared by U.S. trade data company Import Genius. Oman has emerged as a hub for ship-to-ship transfers of Russian oil destined for India, forming part of a network of transhipping countries facilitating the re-export of goods to Russia.
The jet imported by Kesaev was initially manufactured in Toronto by Bombardier in 2009. Subsequently, it was sold to Global Air Services Limited for export to Bermuda before making its way to Russia. The aircraft’s journey involved various operators and registrations over the years, illustrating a complex network facilitating its presence in Russia.
CBC’s investigations have unearthed a connection between Kesaev and the jet before its importation into Russia in 2023. Leaked data from the Russian border service revealed Kesaev’s travel on a flight with the same tail number as the jet in 2021, indicating a longstanding association.
Both Bombardier and De Havilland Canada, which also had planes imported into Russia, maintain compliance with international sanctions. De Havilland clarified that its aircraft were present in Russia before the conflict in Ukraine and were later re-registered in the country.
For further inquiries or tips on this story, please contact Eric Szeto at eric.szeto@cbc.ca.
