US withdraws export privileges from Russian airline Smartavia

Restrictions will be in effect for six months and may be extended. US authorities explained the freeze of Smartavia privileges by ongoing EXPORT control violations

The United States has temporarily canceled export privileges for Smartavia, according to a statement on the website of the country's Department of Commerce.

The reason was "continued violations of export controls" imposed on RUSSIA. The recall will be valid for six months and may be extended, the report says.

Export restrictions are also being imposed against Russian citizens Oleg Patsuli and Vasily Besedin. Earlier, the US Department of Justice detained them on suspicion of involvement in the supply of spare parts to Russian airlines and assistance in circumventing anti-Russian sanctions.

Smartavia is a Russian airline that operated flights under the Nordavia brand until 2020. As of February 2022, her fleet consisted of 16 Boeings and Airbuses with an average age of 11 years.

This is the ninth Russian air carrier that has lost its export privileges. In April, they were withdrawn from Aeroflot, Utair, Azur Air and the cargo company Aviastar-TU. In May, the US authorities canceled export privileges for Rossiya Airlines, and in June for Pobeda, S7 and Nordwind.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said that Washington is depriving Russian airlines not only of access to US products, but also of the re-export of US goods from abroad.

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The United States restricted the export of aviation products to Russia at the end of February last year. Aircraft manufactured in the United States or containing more than 25% US-made parts must obtain a special license to operate in Russia.

In mid-March 2022, the US Department of Commerce banned the maintenance of 100 commercial and private aircraft due to the fact that, after the imposition of sanctions, their operators violated export control measures. The agency warned that refueling, maintaining, repairing such machines, and selling spare parts for them are against export regulations, and violators face "significant prison terms, fines, loss of export rights and other restrictions."

After the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine , the US and the EU closed the airspace for Russian aircraft, and demanded that all leased liners be returned to lessors. In response, the Federal Air Transport Agency recommended that Russian airlines not operate flights abroad on foreign leased aircraft, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on registration of rights to foreign aircraft under lease. it will be possible to fly on Western-made aircraft remaining in the country, provided that their airworthiness is maintained, until 2030, according to the Federal Air Transport Agency.