Russia is negotiating with Vietnam the transfer of aircraft for Russian airlines, amid pressure created by sanctions

Russia is seeking to reach an agreement with Vietnam to transfer aircraft to Russian airlines under a “leasing with crew and maintenance” arrangement. Moscow’s proposal was sent to the Vietnamese authorities and is under review, Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said after bilateral talks in Moscow.

The move comes amid mounting pressure on Russia’s civil aviation sector, after international sanctions restricted access to Western aircraft, spare parts and maintenance services. Boeing and Airbus aircraft account for approximately two-thirds of Russia’s civil aviation fleet and carry around 90% of its passengers.

According to estimates cited by the Russian press, 130 of the 673 aircraft operated by Russia’s largest airlines did not fly this summer, or nearly 20% of the fleet. Outside the Aeroflot group, the proportion reached almost one-third.

Since April 2025, Russia has allowed foreign aircraft to be leased together with their crews. Moscow has held similar discussions with countries in Central Asia, Qatar, Kuwait and Ethiopia, but Addis Ababa rejected the request in 2025, citing the risk of U.S. secondary sanctions.