Russia eyes sourcing aircraft spare parts from Asia

Moscow : Russia is working on sourcing spare parts for aircraft from China and other Asian countries, the transport ministry said on March 11.
However, the country has not yet decided whether to buy foreign airplanes leased by Russian airlines.
Sanctions have already cut off the supply of most aircraft and parts to Russia and forced its airlines to cancel many international flights over worries that their aircraft will be seized by foreign lessors or banks.
Reports cited an official at Russia's aviation authority saying on March 10 that China had refused to supply Russian airlines with aircraft parts, after Boeing and Airbus halted supply of components.
"Questions of supplies of spare parts from China and other Asian contries are being worked out," said Alina Malysheva, Director of the transport ministry's legal support department, in a meeting with lawmakers from the Federation Council, the Russian parliament's upper house.
She said 739 of Russia's 1,367 airplanes are currently registered abroad and that Russian aircraft may be able to be registered in Russia without being taken off foreign registers.
"A decision on buying (planes) has not yet been taken," Malysheva said.
Russia on March 10 published a draft law that could prevent its airlines returning leased aircraft, raising the stakes in a showdown with Western finance over USD 10 billion of jets. The law seeks to preserve the fleet of foreign aircraft with Russian operators and allows for changes in the way airworthiness certificates are issued.