Russia asks UN aviation company ICAO to ease sanctions over security issues

[ad_1] By Gleb Stolyarov and Allison Lampert

(Reuters) -Russia is urging the U.N. civil aviation company to ease sanctions on spare components and overflights, dismissing its response to the warfare in Ukraine as "illegal coercive measures," in keeping with working papers and a supply acquainted with the matter.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western sanctions have lower off entry to foreign-made plane and spare components, leaving Russian airways to supply components for greater than 700 largely Airbus and Boeing jets on advanced, oblique import routes.

Russian authorities at the moment are attempting to barter aid from sanctions, notably on spare components, which they are saying are important for flight security, a supply in Russia's aviation sector advised Reuters.

RUSSIAN MOVES A CHALLENGE FOR ICAO ASSEMBLY

Russia's efforts are making a problem for a gathering in Montreal this week of the Worldwide Civil Aviation Group, which units international security requirements for civil aviation and has condemned Moscow for violating Ukraine's airspace sovereignty and its twin registration of plane.

Russia made its request to the ICAO after america lifted sanctions on Belarusian state provider Belavia final week that had been imposed following Minsk's help for Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine.

In working papers submitted earlier than the ICAO's triennial meeting beginning on Tuesday, Moscow has mentioned the sanctions run counter to international guidelines. Russia can be attempting to realize election to ICAO's 36-state governing council after failing to win sufficient votes in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.

Because the world's largest nation, Russia relies upon closely on business plane for home freight and passenger transport throughout its 11 time zones, however current incidents recommend Russia's fleet is degrading.

In late July, a Soviet-era Antonov An-24, inbuilt 1976, crashed in Russia's far east, killing all 48 individuals on board. Days later, Russian flag provider Aeroflot grounded dozens of flights following a crippling cyberattack.

"Illegal coercive measures violate the human proper to freedom of motion no matter nationality and citizenship," one Russian working paper mentioned.

"The ICAO is required to take all sensible measures to forestall states from making use of politically biased discriminatory and coercive measures within the discipline of worldwide civil aviation."

RUSSIA HAS A FLEET OF AGING AIRCRAFT

The paperwork additionally criticise the closure of 37 states' airspace to flight operations of Russian airways, the suspension of certificates of airworthiness for plane operated by Russian airways and bans on plane upkeep and insurance coverage.

Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya didn't reply to a Reuters request for remark and the Transport Ministry declined to remark. Ukrainian authorities weren't instantly obtainable to remark.

Russia's fleet of Boeing and Airbus plane is growing old, and never all components might be imported by way of so-called "gray" schemes, the Russian aviation supply advised Reuters, which means a good portion of Western plane may very well be grounded.

"If within the close to future a Russian Boeing or Airbus crashes and other people die - what then? In any case, will probably be blamed on sanctions," the supply mentioned.