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Grounded: Ethiopia Refuses to Help Russia Rebuild Its Airline Fleet
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russia’s quiet attempt to lease passenger aircraft from Ethiopia has fallen apart, marking another blow to the country’s sanction-strangled aviation sector, as, according to Addis Insight, Ethiopia’s Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) rejected a Russian delegation’s request on August 6.
Ethiopia rejected Russia’s proposition for planes during negotiations held in Addis Ababa in late July. The ECAA informed the Russians it had no authority to instruct Ethiopian Airlines—the state-owned flag carrier—to lease aircraft.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew confirmed that no substantial talks had taken place with Russian officials, and no agreements had been reached.
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“Russia is under US sanctions, and Ethiopian Airlines has strong operational and commercial ties with the United States,” Tasew said.
“We operate in accordance with international regulations and US law, and we are not prepared to take risks that could lead to violations.”
He added that Ethiopian Airlines is actively seeking additional aircraft for its own expanding passenger and cargo operations.
According to aviation analytics firm Ch-aviation, the Russian Trade Representative in Ethiopia, Yaroslav Tarasyuk, had been leading the talks, aiming to secure a wet lease—a rental agreement that includes both the aircraft and crew—for use within Russia.
Last year, Russian officials approached authorities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, and Qatar with similar requests. None of those efforts are known to have yielded any concrete deals.
Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Russian airlines have lost access to both the supply and maintenance of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, which previously accounted for two-thirds of Russia’s civilian fleet and 90% of passenger traffic.
Lacking access to original parts and certified maintenance, Russia’s airlines have faced a growing number of technical incidents. In 2024 alone, Novaya Gazeta Europe recorded 208 aviation incidents—a 25% increase over 2023.
Nearly half—90 cases—involved engine failures or landing gear malfunctions.
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Shortly after the invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions, the Kremlin announced an ambitious plan to rebuild the domestic aviation industry, pledging that civilian aircraft production would return to Soviet-era levels. By 2030, the government promised, Russian carriers would receive over 1,000 domestically produced aircraft.
The roadmap envisioned deliveries beginning in 2023, with two import-substituted Sukhoi Superjets and three Tu-214s.
In 2024, the plan called for 20 more Superjets, seven Tu-214s, six MC-21 regional jets, and two Il-114-300 turboprops. By 2026, annual production was expected to hit 120 aircraft, rising to over 200 per year by 2028.
In reality, just five aircraft have rolled out of Russian factories over three years of war: three Tu-214s and two Il-96-300s, according to Kommersant.
Facing persistent setbacks, the Russian government in early 2025 officially slashed its production target by 50%.
Earlier, a Soviet-designed An-24 aircraft with 49 people on board crashed in Russia’s Far East, roughly 15 kilometers from the city of Tynda in Amur Oblast, Russian emergency services told Russian media outlet Interfax on July 24.
The twin turboprop was carrying 43 passengers—five of them children—and six crew members.
