The European Commission has committed to investigating allegations that companies in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan are enabling the diversion of aviation goods and services to Russian operators, in circumvention of EU sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a written answer on 16 July 2026, Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union, Maria Luís Albuquerque, stated that the Commission will examine credible information on possible circumvention and, if necessary, propose additional measures to safeguard the effectiveness of sanctions.
The answer was given to a parliamentary question from Renew Europe MEPs Petras Auštrevičius and Bart Groothuis, who cited evidence that entities linked to Russia's S7 Airlines and S7 Engineering, as well as intermediaries such as Golden Falcon Aviation FZE and ATS Heavy Equipment and Machinery Spare Parts Trading, continued to appear in contracts and freight records after February 2022. The MEPs noted that the U.S. Department of the Treasury had already sanctioned ATS Heavy Equipment in December 2023 for allegedly supplying aircraft parts to Russia.
Albuquerque's response reaffirmed that EU sanctions prohibit the export of aviation goods, technology and related maintenance services to Russia or for use in Russia. She stressed that Member States are primarily responsible for enforcement and investigations, while the Commission supports them through information exchange and cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The Commissioner said the Commission will share relevant information with national authorities and international partners, including the US, the UK and Ukraine, and will not hesitate to propose new listings, export restrictions or anti-circumvention measures targeting aviation supply routes through non-EU countries.
The answer contained no specific numerical targets, deadlines or concrete proposals for new listings, but signaled a willingness to act if evidence of circumvention is confirmed. The Commission's stance indicates a continued push to tighten enforcement of aviation-related sanctions, with potential implications for companies in third countries acting as intermediaries. Institutional follow-up is expected through ongoing monitoring and possible proposals for additional restrictive measures in the coming months.