russia has delivered a second Airbus aircraft via Oman, circumventing sanctions

This was reported by the specialist Telegram channel ‘Aviation Mezzanine’. According to the channel, the aircraft was previously based in Istanbul, before being flown to Muscat (Oman) on 14 April, and arrived in Moscow on 15 May with russian registration. The airline ‘Severo-Zapad’ is named as the aircraft’s new owner. As The Insider clarifies, the aircraft in question is an Airbus A320-232 with serial number 4934, built in 2011. It was initially operated by Etihad Airways from the UAE, then in 2022 it was transferred to the American company GA Telesis and leased to Air Albania. In 2025, the aircraft returned to GA Telesis, after which it was stored in Istanbul.

This is not the first such case. In June 2024, an Airbus A320neo with serial number 8774 was imported into russia in a similar manner. At that time, the aircraft also arrived from Muscat. The aircraft was manufactured in 2019 as a business jet, changed several jurisdictions — from San Marino to Azerbaijan — and eventually ended up with North-West Air Company, which specialises in VIP transport.

The American company GA Telesis, which features in the ownership chain of the latter aircraft, had previously been active in the russian market, but after the war began, it found itself unable to repatriate its assets from russia. As Forbes reported, citing the company’s founder Abdulla Moberi, following the imposition of sanctions, GA Telesis began receiving numerous requests for the supply of spare parts from firms in the UAE and former Soviet states, including Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. According to Moberi, many of these companies had been set up shortly before making the enquiries and were attempting to purchase components, presumably for russian airlines. Following requests to disclose the end recipient of the deal, such contacts usually ceased.

Following the outbreak of full-scale war, russia effectively lost legal access to Airbus and Boeing aircraft, as well as to their maintenance and spare parts. Against this backdrop, as The Insider reports, deliveries continue via complex supply chains involving third countries, with changes in registration and ownership before the aircraft end up under russian jurisdiction.

Source: The Moscow Times