Despite the sanctions, Belavia received its third Boeing via The Gambia
The Belarusian airline Belavia has begun operating a third Boeing 737-800, which previously belonged to Ukrainian airlines and was transferred to Minsk via The Gambia. As a result, all three aircraft from this batch are now operating scheduled flights, despite Western sanctions against the Belarusian aviation industry.
The new aircraft are part of Belavia’s fleet modernization effort; due to restrictions, the airline has been unable to purchase Western aircraft directly for several years.
Belarusian state-owned airline Belavia has begun operating its third Boeing 737-800, which arrived in the country from The Gambia. The aircraft was registered as EW-547PA and is already operating scheduled flights. Two other aircraft from the same batch—EW-548PA and EW-546PA—had previously been cleared for service. All three Boeing 737-800s that arrived in Belarus in early June are now in service as part of Belavia’s fleet.
According to aviation sources, these aircraft were previously operated by Ukrainian airlines. Two of the Boeings belonged to SkyUp, and another to SkyUp Europe. Before being transferred, they were re-registered in The Gambia, after which the aircraft were transported to Minsk. The aircraft are approximately 12–13 years old. For a Boeing 737-800, this is not a critical factor—such aircraft can remain in service for many more years provided they receive proper maintenance. This time, EW-547PA immediately began flying in Belavia’s livery. The two previous aircraft initially operated flights in a neutral white color scheme.
How Belarus Circumvents Aviation Restrictions
Belavia has been subject to European Union sanctions since December 2021 and, since August 2023, has also been subject to U.S. restrictions. As a result, the Belarusian carrier is unable to purchase new aircraft directly from Western manufacturers. Gambia has become a convenient country for such transactions, as it is not subject to Western aviation sanctions. This is not the first time that deals related to Belarusian aviation have been routed through this jurisdiction.
It was previously reported that Belarus had used similar schemes to acquire other aircraft as well. Companies from third countries were also involved in the case involving Airbus. In November 2025, Belarusian Transport Minister Alexei Lyakhnovich announced plans to add several new Boeing aircraft to Belavia’s fleet by the summer season.
Sanctions and New Aircraft
Despite the restrictions, Belavia continues to modernize its fleet. In November 2025, the U.S. partially eased sanctions against the company, but most restrictions imposed by other countries remained in effect. In particular, the EU and the U.S. continue to control the supply of aircraft and components to Belarus.
Experts note that using third countries allows airlines to attempt to circumvent sanctions, but such schemes can create additional legal and technical risks. Currently, Belavia continues to use Boeing 737-800s obtained via The Gambia for regular domestic and international flights. This was reported by the aviation channel “Ot Vinta.”
On July 10, Andriy Demchenko, a spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, stated that Belarus continues to expand its military infrastructure near the border with Ukraine, although no strike force has been detected on its territory at this time.
