The Commerce Department said on Friday that it had identified 100 commercial and private aircraft that violated U.S. export controls by flying into Russia and that their owners, operators and servicers were at risk of substantial jail time, fines, loss of export privileges or other restrictions.
The announcement said it was putting the world “on notice” not to repair or refuel the planes, highlighting the scope of the new limitations.
Since March 2, the department identified a number of commercial and private flights to Russia that most likely violated the restrictions, including on aircraft owned or operated by Aeroflot, AirBridgeCargo, Aviastar-TU, Azur Air, Nordwind, Utair and Roman Abramovich, a Russian billionaire with ties to President Vladimir V. Putin, according to the announcement. Most of the planes were made by Boeing.
On Feb. 24, the department imposed broad restrictions on technology that could be exported to Russia, part of an effort to cripple the country’s military and strategic industries. In addition to semiconductors, telecommunications equipment and sensors, the restrictions bar aircraft and some aircraft parts that are made in the United States from being sent to Russia.
As a result of the rules, any aircraft manufactured in the United States, or manufactured in a foreign country that used certain American parts or technology, must receive a license to travel to Russia.
And any entity providing services to those aircraft, including maintenance, repair and refueling, would also be in violation of the rules, the Commerce Department said.
Because the aircraft are prevented from receiving any service, flights to and from Russia on these aircraft are effectively grounded, the department said.
“We will not allow Russian and Belarusian companies and oligarchs to travel with impunity in violation of our laws,” Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo said in a statement.
Source: NY Times
