Russia Bypasses International Sanctions, Buying $500 Million Worth of Aircraft Components

Russia has been successfully bypassing international sanctions, buying $500 million worth of aircraft components since 2022.

This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Russian military and civilian aircraft manufacturer and Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec subsidiary, Yakovlev (formerly Irkut), has reportedly been evading international sanctions and acquiring military equipment from abroad.

The Moscow Times reported that Yakovlev, which manufactures Su-30 fighter jets and Yak-130 combat trainer jets, has purchased almost $500 million worth of military equipment from abroad since 2022, mainly purchasing components for radar equipment and programmable controllers for military aircraft.

It is also known that Russia dispatched Yak-130 jets to Iran in September 2023.

Despite imposed Western sanctions, Russia was able to adapt. According to a Financial Times analysis, major Western banks backtracked on promises to exit Russia after the Ukraine invasion, contributing millions to the Kremlin’s coffers through taxes.