Russia Left Scrambling After Desperate Airplane Request Is Rejected by China
Amid a ban by Western companies on supplying aircraft parts to Russia, China has decided not to do so as well.
After Boeing and Airbus refused to supply parts to Russia as part of the worldwide sanctions hitting the country in multiple ways in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine, China decided not to buck the world and help out its neighbor, according to Reuters.
Russia’s foreign ministry has said that the safety of Russia’s passenger flights is at risk as it needs parts. According to Reuters, the country has more than 300 Boeing passenger jets and another 300 Airbus jets as part of its passenger fleet.
It is now seeking parts from Turkey and India.
Russia “will have to create a full-fledged maintenance system for some types of aircraft. But before that … it will need to cannibalize some aircraft for use as spare parts,” said Oleg Panteleev, head of Russian AviaPort analytical agency, according to Reuters.
“Cannibalization will be possible because the need for the planes will fall,” Panteleev said.
Companies that leased jets to Russian airlines also might want them back.
“With Western lessors also looking to repossess jets that are operated by Russian carriers, the Russian aviation sector is now on a footing that is similar to North Korea and Iran — and similar to where it was under Soviet rule,” Vertical Research Partners analyst Rob Stallard said, according to Reuters.
But asking is not the same as getting, the outlet noted. Russia might forbid airlines to give back the planes if leases are canceled.
Western nations have taken a variety of avenues to punish Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
For example, Britain has now made it a criminal offense for a Russian aircraft to enter British airspace.
BREAKING: I have made it a criminal offence for ANY Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace and now HMG can detain these jets. We will suffocate Putin’s cronies’ ability to continue living as normal while thousands of innocent people die. pic.twitter.com/cYjreNSYRz
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 8, 2022
The Dutch brewer Heineken has said it won’t make or sell its beer in Russia, according to CNN.
Heineken said it is “assessing strategic options for the future of our Russian operations. We see a clear distinction between the actions of the government and our employees in Russia. For more than 20 years, our local employees have been valued members of our Heineken business. Supporting our employees and their families is a clear principle as we define the path forward.”
But Western condemnation and Ukrainian resistance are not likely to dissuade Russian leader Vladimir Putin from escalating the war, CIA Director William Burns told the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, according to CNN.
“This is a matter of deep personal conviction for him,” Burns said. “He’s been stewing in a combustible combination of grievance and ambition for many years.”
Putin began the war “determined to dominate and control Ukraine” assuming his enemies were weak and that he had “sanctions-proofed” Russia.
“He’s been proven wrong on every count,” Burns said.
He said there will be an “ugly next few weeks” with “scant regard for civilian casualties” as Russia continues to destroy what it cannot tame.
Russian bombs have struck two hospitals, one of them a children’s facility, in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, the mayor says. There was no immediate word on casualties. Another airstrike Wednesday devastated a maternity hospital in the port city of Mariupol. https://t.co/pGr0G9JGkE
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 10, 2022
“The Ukrainians are going to continue to resist fiercely and effectively,” Burns said.
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