Russia to reactivate old aircraft amid failure to produce new airliners
Russian airlines are set to receive refurbished aircraft from storage during 2026–2027 in order to compensate for fleet shortages and maintain passenger traffic.
According to Russian media citing the corporation Rostec, this concerns 12 outdated aircraft, including nine from the Tu-204/214 family, one An-148, and two Il-96s.
The process of restoring these planes began back in 2022, and as of now, 10 of the 12 aircraft have formally been returned to service for use by Red Wings and other carriers. The forced reliance on Soviet-era aircraft is the result of Russia’s inability to establish serial production of modern MC-21 and Superjet New airliners under conditions of international isolation.
In addition to its domestic fleet, Russia is attempting to bring foreign airliners that were previously in storage back into service. In particular, the airline Rossiya plans to increase the number of double-deck Boeing 747s it inherited following the bankruptcy of Transaero. One of these 24-year-old aircraft was refurbished in November 2025, with the next scheduled for entry into service in 2027. Since official maintenance by the manufacturer is impossible due to sanctions, Russia is carrying out reconstruction and technical servicing in “friendly” countries, such as Iran, which creates additional flight safety risks.
The technological degradation of Russian civil aviation is a direct consequence of the war it initiated and the resulting sanctions pressure. While Russia pours resources into its military-industrial complex, its civil sector is turning into an “open-air museum,” forcing passengers to fly on aircraft whose service lives have long expired. Russia is attempting to create the illusion of stability in its aviation sector, but the use of outdated Tu-204s instead of promised modern airliners only highlights the deep crisis the country faces as a result of its aggressive policies.
Russian civil aviation is undergoing a profound crisis, making flights genuinely dangerous for passengers. Incidents involving UTair and other airlines confirm that fleet ageing and a shortage of spare parts have turned flying into a real risk.
The Russian corporation Rostec is actively promoting the idea of joint production of Superjet-100 and Il-114-300 civil aircraft with Indian partners.
