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Russian air passengers face peril as planes show strain of sanctions

MOSCOW — Over the first eight days of December, civilian Russian airplanes experienced at least eight serious mechanical failures, terrifying many passengers as pilots were forced to make emergency landings in cities across the country.

The incidents did not kill anyone, but they illustrate the rising peril of air travel in Russia. Nearly two years of sanctions over the war in Ukraine have left airlines struggling to obtain vital spare parts and, as a result, shortcutting safety standards — in some cases with government approval.

On Dec. 8, S7 Airlines passengers heard loud bangs when their Boeing 737 took off from Novosibirsk for Moscow, as both of the plane’s engines surged and spat flames, Russian media reported .

The same day, a Rossiya Airlines Airbus A319 flying to St. Petersburg lost cabin pressure and began to fall from the sky shortly after takeoff from Mineralnye Vody. The pilots made an emergency landing, Russian Telegram channels reported, and video from inside the cabin showed passengers screaming and crying as oxygen masks deployed from the ceiling.

On Dec. 11, a Utair flight made an emergency landing because of a wing flap failure while carrying 104 passengers and 42 pounds of a radioactive substance, Russian media reported. A Utair plane flying from Moscow to Kogalym in the Khanty-Mansi region of Siberia signaled an emergency because of engine failure on Dec. 29.

Also in December, Russia’s main carrier, Aeroflot, experienced a string of emergencies: an Airbus A321 with left engine failure; another Airbus 321 with an air conditioning problem; two Boeing 737s with landing gear failures; a Boeing 737 with a wing flap failure; and a Boeing 777 with smoke in the cabin due to a short circuit. Multiple other failures led to long delays and stranded passengers.

Other airlines have experienced severe engine vibrations, sudden engine shutdowns, and failures with hydraulic systems, wing flaps, steering systems, autopilot and oil filters, among other problems.

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After President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Western nations put sanctions on Russian aviation, banning the transfer of technology and spare parts, as well as servicing, insurance or software updates for Russia’s large fleet of Western planes.

More than a year ago, in September 2022, the International Civil Aviation Organization red-flagged Russian aviation, citing significant concerns about the country’s ability to maintain the safety of its aircraft.

Russian aviation officials, however, have adopted an “everything is fine” mantra, insisting that sanctions do not affect safety and, in some cases, denying media reports about increased air incidents.

“Logistic chains are available to domestic airlines, thanks to which they receive the required spare parts and components for the normal operation of aircraft,” Mikhail Vasilenkovf the Federal Air Transport Agency said in a December statement.

The agency reported 400 civil aviation incidents due to serious equipment malfunctions from January to November last year, claiming this as good news because of a 2 percent decrease from the same period in 2022, the first year of sanctions.

But in a December opinion article in Kommersant, a leading newspaper, Oleg Panteleyev, director of Aviaport, a Russian aviation think tank, said the risks had “increased exponentially,” adding that there had been a sharp reduction in technical inspections.

Some Russian aviation analysts have joined the government in seeking to minimize the growing danger, while others say it is only a matter of time before there is a major catastrophe.

“Of course sanctions affect flight safety,” said Russian aviation analyst Andrei Menshenin in an interview. “They can’t not affect it.” But he said Russian airlines had softened the impact by importing spare parts and even fully reconditioned engines through Central Asia, Turkey, Singapore, Iran and other countries. “The question is, what does it cost? It costs a lot.”

“The situation with flight safety in Russian aviation is much better than was expected and much better than what was predicted at the beginning of 2022,” Menshenin added. Still, he conceded that Russian pilots in some cases have come under intense pressure, as they face life-or-death decisions when equipment fails.

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Andrei Patrakov, an independent Russian aviation safety expert and head of RunAvia, a company specializing in drone and aircraft safety, said in an interview that Russian authorities are letting airlines use parts well beyond their serviceable life, leading to midair failures.

Patrakov said he fears reprisals from Russian authorities for discussing the dangers but felt obliged to speak out.

“I am independent and my motivation is to provide safety, and when I talk about all the problems, my idea is not to make people nervous, it is for the sake of safety,” he said. “Sometimes Russian government organizations or state-owned companies don’t even think about these problems. But sometimes it’s a very big issue with air safety and some people may finally die. And my mission is to save these people.”

Despite the harrowing incidents portrayed in news accounts and in real-time cellphone videos and photos posted by passengers on social media, Russians continue to fly. And despite tough sanctions, Russian aviation has not collapsed — even though Western planes account for 95 percent of passenger flights and new Russian planes use mainly Western components.

The December incidents were hardly unusual.

In October, 10 fearful passengers insisted on disembarking after a Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet stalled while taxiing to the runway, according to eyewitnesses quoted in news reports. They said the captain told passengers he had rebooted and everything was fine.

In September, the pilots of Ural Airlines Flight 1383, an Airbus 320 traveling to Omsk in Siberia from Sochi in southern Russia, diverted to an airport with a longer runaway because of a hydraulic failure. When the plane ran low on fuel, the pilots landed in a field.

There were no medals. Instead, the pilots were attacked by experts and colleagues for endangering passengers’ lives by flying farther to get to the longer runway, because too many other failures could have occurred while they were in the air. The 20-year-old plane will be cannibalized for parts and sawed up.

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In 2022, Russian authorities issued developer certificates allowing 100 companies, including seven airlines, to modify parts and perform nonstandard maintenance to keep planes flying.

But in November, Russian airline Pobeda had its developer certificate suspended because of serious violations in modifications to three Boeings, including alterations to the traffic collision avoidance system, according to pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper.

Last May, Russian investigative outlet Proekt reported sources stating that airlines were discouraging crews from logging malfunctions.

Patrakov, the analyst fearful of reprisal, said that “Russian air safety was a total disaster” even before sanctions hit. Now, he said, many planes are due for necessary maintenance, “but it’s not done because the parts are not available because of sanctions.”

Planes are continuing to fly with faulty parts — for example, with cracks — long after they should be replaced, he said, warning that “you can extend whatever you want, but you cannot extend the laws of physics.”

“If you have a component with a crack inside, you have some reserve time to replace it, say 10 days, but not three to four times that, because it has a physical limit,” Patrakov continued. “And the question is, when will it reach a critical limit when this part is totally broken, and this part can trigger a catastrophic event?”

Even before the war, the troubled Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet, with a largely French-manufactured engine and 70 percent foreign parts, accounted for dozens of serious air incidents. But such incidents spiked after sanctions hit, according to analysts, because accessing Sukhoi parts is much more difficult than for Boeing or Airbus planes.

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In November, Andrey Boginsky, head of Yakovlev, the Superjet’s manufacturer, told jet operators at a meeting in St. Petersburg that Russia could repair only 178 of the plane’s 903 imported parts.

A Superjet flight from Vladivostok to Chita in October was a prime case: On takeoff, passengers felt a thud, and the plane had to circle, burn fuel and make an emergency landing because of a problem with the left engine.

The next day, a replacement Superjet stalled while taxiing to the runway, leading the 10 angry passengers to bail. The plane took off — after the pilot announced he had rebooted it — but never made it to Chita. The flight was forced to land in Khabarovsk because of a hydraulic failure.

Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report.

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The fight: Ukrainian troops have intensified their attacks on the front line in the southeast region, according to multiple individuals in the country’s armed forces, in a significant push toward Russian-occupied territory.

The front line: The Washington Post has mapped out the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces .

How you can help: Here are ways those in the United States can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating.

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As the clouds of Western sanctions against Russia gather, their impact on the aviation industry are weighty

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Speaking in late July, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced a further tightening of sanctions the bloc had imposed on Russia in response to its invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine.  

As part of the enhancement, the EU said that changes would be made to sanctions already placed on Russia’s aviation industry.  

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However, the intention was largely to sure up safety and security – rather than further impede the sector – in response to growing concerns that Russia would flout or at best be unable to adhere to safety standards as sanctions begin to bite. This was the latest chapter of a series of sanctions against Russia since the initial invasion of Ukraine in February.

24 February

Preluded by months of military build-up on Ukraine’s borders, just before 6am Moscow time, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his country, and the world, that Russian forces had embarked upon a “military operation” in the east of Ukraine. Putin said that the operation was an attempt to demilitarise and “de-Nazify” Ukraine as an act of self-defence.  

The news was roundly criticised by much of the world, eliciting almost immediate responses from the US, where President Joe Biden branded the act as “premeditated” and one that would result in “catastrophic loss of life and human suffering”. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the “hideous and barbaric venture must end in failure”, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would impose a “massive and targeted” raft of sanctions in response. 

The UK announced it was banning Russia’s flag carrier, Aeroflot , from its airspace, a move replicated by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania within hours. The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was stopping US aviation interests from using Belarussian, Ukrainian, and parts of western Russian airspace. The ban covered passenger and cargo flights.

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26–27 February weekend

Iceland imposed a complete ban on Russian flights into its airspace. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Slovenia, and Sweden were among others saying they were taking steps to close airspace to Russia that weekend. 

Lithuania’s measure became active on Saturday (26 February) evening, as the country’s Prime Minister, Ingrida Simonyte, said: “No flights for aggressor planes in democratic skies”. The move would have a significant impact on Russia and its people, given that the route is the most direct for those travelling between the mainland and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – nestled between NATO members Lithuania and Poland – with its population of almost half a million. 

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said: “The EU is imposing tougher economic sanctions in a number of areas. We are therefore in close contact with the EU and our neighbouring countries, and preparations for implementing the wide-ranging package of sanctions are in full swing.” Those measures included closing Norwegian airspace to all Russian aircraft. 

Within hours, the EU announced a complete ban on Russian flights from its airspace, meaning planes cannot land, take off, or pass through the entire bloc. “We are shutting down EU airspace for Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft,” von der Leyen said. 

Canada reacted to the invasion with a similar move,  prohibiting all Russian aircraft  from its airspace, while US officials had been making similar overtones. By the end of the weekend, airspace bans were beginning to be felt at Russia’s airports; departure and arrival boards were largely displaying a red hue as flights in and out of the country had been affected. 

As part of the raft of EU sanctions, another that affected aviation was the banning of all goods and technology linked to aircraft being given to Russia. The move led to an almost instantaneous response from the lucrative  aircraft leasing industry , which does significant business with Russian airlines. It also left them with a major problem: how to get back its hundreds of jets on the ground in Russia at the time?  

Russia had been reacting angrily to the feed of news, first with its airlines announcing they were cancelling flights and self-imposing restrictions, then officially by banning air traffic from a growing list of countries. What began with a ban from its airspace to  UK-linked planes  quickly became a total ban on anything coming from or passing through Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia. 

28 February

Russia formally announced it was  banning flights from 36 countries . The news was no surprise, given Russia’s previous statements over the weekend. Impacts were beginning to be felt at the very top of Russian Government, with a handful of diplomatic missions falling victim. 

The same day, Switzerland, often passive on matters of this nature, took the unusual step to join with its European neighbours in excluding Russia from its airspace. 

Numerous US-based airlines pull out of partnerships with Russian counterparts. American Airlines becomes the latest, ending an interline agreement with Aeroflot and S7 Airlines. Others taking similar action included United Airlines and Delta.

US authorities announce they are  stopping Russian flights  from using US airspace. Stating the ban was effective as of that evening, Pete Buttigieg, US transport secretary, said: “The US stands with our allies and partners across the world in responding to Putin’s unprovoked aggression against the people of Ukraine.” 

Russia bans flights to some southern parts of the country – a move first seen as temporary but which has continued that has a dramatic impact on domestic travel. It ultimately resulted in the closure of 11 airports, including the Black Sea resorts of Anapa and Gelendzhik. 

The New Zealand Government announces its first significant package of measures aimed at Russian aggression. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said: “The sanctions prevent New Zealand individuals, assets and financial institutions from having dealings with those designated, and prohibits their vessels and aircraft entering New Zealand.”

Putin holds a special meeting at which he says the aviation industry would receive financial support in the face of “consequences of inadequate decisions by the Western countries” that were impacting the sector. “The truth is, they have cheated their Russian partners by terminating deliveries, leasing, services, and insurance for airplanes,” he told attendees. “Nevertheless, Russia is not going to close its doors to the outside world.”

Despite the numerous airspace bans and counter actions by Russia, flights between Europe and Asia increased, adding 7% more airline seat capacity. The data, supplied by aviation information and statistics provider OAG, showed the increase was in comparison with flights in the immediate aftermath of the invasion.

A Russian official suggests help is coming to the beleaguered aviation sector. Speaking with TV station Rossiya 24, Minister for Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said the sector could expect to be subsidised. 

Russian State-run news agency TASS had previously said Putin had earmarked almost $310m for airlines to help cover airline expenses from February to July. It said: “Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Russia has closed international flights that are highly profitable for companies (except for repatriation flights)”. 

According to state media, Putin signs a law allowing Russian airlines to  keep and operate planes  – on domestic routes – leased from international suppliers. The news wasn’t a complete surprise, as officials had suggested such actions could be taken days before the official statement. The government had already told aircraft operators to not fly these aircraft to international destinations, likely in a bid to prevent them from being seized. 

However, industry watchers warned that flying foreign planes could have potentially dangerous consequences as the country remains cut off from  sourcing parts  or  maintenance services , raising the risk that flights will be carried out by  planes in need of servicing . 

The announcement did, say some, show the impact sanctions were having on Russia’s aviation industry. According to TASS the law was an attempt to preserve the  foreign aircraft fleet  within Russia to keep civil aviation operations going it said, citing official documents it had seen. 

Speaking of the news, Domhnal Slattery, CEO of aircraft-leasing company Avolon, which had 10 aircraft in Russia at the time of his comments, said: “It’s just robbery.  They’ve stolen the aeroplanes . It’s incomprehensible.”

The UK Government announced further sanctions aimed at Russia’s aviation industry. In response to concerns carriers were cashing in on their now  unused landing slots , it banned state-owned Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, and Rossiya Airlines from selling them, preventing Russia from cashing in on an estimated £50m. 

At the time of publication, it is unclear how many aircraft remain in Russia. Some estimates put this figure at 400, with a total value of £8.25bn. 

As sanctions hurt Russia’s aviation sector, the Kremlin announced plans to invest $14.5bn by 2030 to increase the share of  domestically-manufactured  aircraft.

Announcing the plan, which the government said would see as many as 1,000 new Russian manufactured commercial aircraft enter service by the end of the decade, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told a gathering of officials and media: “The share of domestically produced aircraft in the fleet of Russian airlines should grow to 81% by 2030.” 

For some time the country’s media outlets – many of which are state-controlled – had been reporting on plans to ramp up domestic production, with rumours that Aeroflot was close to signing a contract with the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation for the purchase of 300 new aircraft. 

There is growing concern about the safety of flights coming out of Russia, and those operating domestically. Widespread media coverage focusses more heavily on the dangers posed as a result of the inability to properly maintain aircraft, citing numerous experts.  

Although unconfirmed, there are several reports of flights landing with pilots reporting mechanical issues. Some of those aircraft took to the skies again but, despite being approached, operators did not divulge how any issues may have been resolved. 

As many as 19 million fewer passengers will travel by air in Russia this year says the Russia’s own Ministry of Transport. According to business publication Vedomosti, sanctions and airspace closures by the West and Moscow are to blame.

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The CEO of Airbus says there are 'concerns on the safety side' as domestic air travel in Russia takes off, but sanctions prevent plane maintenance

• Airbus' CEO said he's concerned about Russian airlines flying without required maintenance.
• Sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war have prevented Airbus from servicing Russian aircraft.
• Russian air travel has recovered to 85% of pre-pandemic capacity, per OAG, a data provider.

The CEO of Airbus has warned of safety concerns over Russian airlines flying without necessary maintenance or spare parts— as sanctions are preventing the French aviation giant from servicing their planes.

"We are worried about the conditions for maintenance as actually the planes are flying a lot," Guillaume Faury, the CEO of Airbus, said on a media call on Friday, after the company posted its third-quarter results. Airbus separately confirmed the comments in an email to Insider.

Russia lifted all pandemic-related travel restrictions  on July 1, and Russian airlines are operating at about 85% of 2019 capacity this winter season, according to data published on October 25 by OAG, a global travel data provider. That's even though many countries in the world — such as those in the European Union and Canada — have banned Russian aircraft from their airspace, meaning most Russian flights are flying domestic.

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"Because of the sanctions, we cannot really monitor and support as we do with our customers in normal times. And that's something that is indeed creating some concerns on the safety side," said Faury on the call. "Now, there's not much we can do about it."

Due to sanctions against Russia, imports into the country   — especially those of aircraft and their spare parts— have collapsed, creating a huge problem for the country, which heavily relies on tech imports.

However, Moscow is taking steps to counter the sanctions, with state-owned tech firm Rostec telling Reuters in September it's targeting the production of 1,000 airliners by 2030, using locally manufactured parts, in order to reduce dependence on Western technology. Before the start of Ukraine war, planes purchased from Western giants Boeing and Airbus carried 95% of Russian passenger traffic, per Reuters.

Rostec — a conglomerate involved in engineering and defense — has said it aims to substitute imported parts with local ones, but the pain of shortages is already being felt. 

Russian state-owned carrier Aeroflot started stripping spare parts from working aircraft due to supply shortages induced by sanctions, Reuters  reported in August.

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The uncertain future of Russia’s airlines after Covid-19

Colossal losses

The peak of the coronavirus, followed by the closure of Russian borders and international and domestic travel bans, all struck simultaneously in April 2020. And airlines have suffered a record decline in passenger flows as a result.

Russia’s biggest carrier, Aeroflot - and their subsidiaries ‘Rossiya’ and ‘Pobeda’ - reported a staggering 95 percent drop in demand compared to the same time last year, according to the airline’s CEO, Vitaly Savelyev, in a report to President Vladimir Putin. 

The decrease in passenger flow for all Russian airlines in April 2020 came to 91,8 percent, according to TASS news agency, citing the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport. By May 2020, total air traffic in Russia decreased by 44,6 percent, compared with the same period last year.

Aeroflot passenger planes Boeing 737-800 at the Parking lot at Krasnoyarsk airport

Total financial losses incurred during the coronavirus crisis have still not been calculated, however, already by February 2020, the Ministry of Transport estimated the cost of stopping flights to China alone to be in the vicinity of 1.6 billion rubles (approx. $22,4 million). By June 25, the sum of subsidies the air transport ministry allocated to airlines stood at 9.75 million rubles ($136,5 million). A further 23,4 billion rubles (approx. $237 million) was allocated by the government - however, experts believe that the amount will fall short of what will be required to offset the resulting losses. 

By 2021, the total losses incurred by Russian airlines could total 550 billion rubles (approx. $7.7 billion), senior aviation expert at Bain & Company, Sergey Zaytsev, told ‘Vedomosti’ newspaper. His estimate is predicated on a return to normal demand for domestic flights by December 2020 (reflecting the figure for the same month in 2019), as well as the resumption of international flights by the end of July 2020. 

Cargo flights and slashed fares 

So as to avoid aircraft idling in airports, Russian passenger airlines have begun to utilize them for cargo flights - both the cargo and passenger sections, according to Maksim Pyadushkin, Chief Editor of ‘Air Transport Review’ magazine. Seven carriers received permission to do this in April. 

To increase demand, companies lowered fare prices by 23 percent across Russia in June,  according to the website for Russia’s travel operators. ‘Pobeda’ did so by 60 percent. Many, however, still fear contracting the coronavirus, and cancel their flights, according to Aeroflot’s CEO. The national carrier is still planning to transport 30 million passengers this year (about 50 percent less than 2019). A lot of those tickets have to do with Russian summer destinations. By July 6, 2020, figures for flights to Crimea have managed to bounce back to 2019 levels, according to the Simferopol International Airport’s website. Sochi, meanwhile, has seen over 100,000 Russian tourists since the start of June. 

Terminal B at Sheremetyevo airport

Russian air travel is predicted to only return to normal levels by September 2021, according to the transport ministry head, Evgeniy Ditrikh. According to Aleksandr Fridlyand of the State Scientific Research Institute of Civil Aviation, the prognosis is too optimistic, stating thatRussian aviation wouldn’t bounce back to 2019 levels until 2024.

The government does not expect the sector to fall into bankruptcy, thanks in part to the subsidies, according to Sergey Ivanov, the president’s special representative for conservation, ecology and transport. ‘Utair’ has reported that it will not be fulfilling its credit obligations in the foreseeable future. The carrier, however, did avoid mentioning any fears of bankruptcy. 

EU flights (im)possible this summer

On July 6, 2020, President Putin said in a meeting with the Aeroflot CEO that it’s still difficult to tell when the EU will allow Russian tourists to resume travel to its countries. 

“It’s unclear what our partners in many countries of the world - including Europe - will do, they’re still fighting things out amongst themselves,” Putin said . “It’s unclear when they’ll open their borders up to outsiders, including Russians, even in the summer vacation period.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with the General Director "Aeroflot - the Russian airlines" Vitaly Savelyev

The aviation ministry, meanwhile, extended the ban on foreign entry to Russia until August 1, 2020. Interfax reports that this is likely to last until the epidemiological situation is brought back under control across the country. CES residents will in all likelihood be the first to be allowed back in, followed in time by the EU and others. 

Despite the grim forecast, some Russian airlines have resumed sales on international flights, with Aeroflot selling passenger tickets on cargo flights from Moscow to Frankfurt, Paris, London, New York, Rome, Seoul, Tel-Aviv and other major cities. 

The company’s spokesperson Mikhail Demin told Vedomosti that the company can put passengers on cargo flights, but only those currently allowed entry - Russian diplomats with dual nationalities and holders of foreign residency permits. 

S7 Airlines has begun selling tickets to Alicante, Spain, and Nice, France, from July 7. The carrier also received permission to carry out special charter flights from Spain and France. 

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Russian Recovery: What is Driving the Rise in Russian Air Travel?

For ten of the past thirteen weeks, scheduled airline capacity from Russian airports has exceeded capacity in the same weeks in 2019. While there has been plenty of focus on the recovery of the domestic Chinese market and domestic US market, much less has been said about Russia but the country has witnessed a remarkable increase in flying this past summer. 

While international capacity from Russia has been steadily growing all year it still remains at 39% below 2019 levels, but domestic capacity has been positive since March, and seen a major surge between April and June. If this is a response to demand, it would appear that Russians are keen to be moving again, and though the destinations may have changed, the fact that overall capacity is at pre-pandemic levels implies that they are not being put off by the virus.

Summer Domestic Boom

While there are some airlines driving growth more than others, all the major Russian airlines are benefitting. Overall, domestic capacity is 27% up on where it was two years ago. Pobeda , the low-cost carrier of the Aeroflot Group, is the airline which has experienced the largest growth in absolute terms. Domestic capacity for Pobeda this week is around half that of Aeroflot, but is 81% up on two years ago, compared to a 13% increase at Aeroflot.

Nord Wind , a much smaller airline, has grown capacity by 67% while Ural Airlines has grown by 48%.

Not surprisingly, the Russian domestic destination which were thriving this summer included resorts along the Black Sea coast and this has continued into September. Capacity for the week of 13th September at Sochi (AER) , close to the border with Georgia, is up by 77%, while at Gelendzhik (GDZ) , a further 250km north, arriving scheduled airline seats are up by 183%. At Anapa (AAQ) another 85km north, capacity is up by 171% compared to the same week in 2019. These three airports currently have 124 routes operating to and from them, almost double the number from this time in 2019, and the total number of airlines seats available has also doubled. Less than 200km from Anapa, further inland, is Krasnodar (KRR) , which has also benefitted from the boom in travel to the region, with capacity up by 34%.

International Hotspots

This week sees international capacity at 39% below 2019 levels, an improvement on the average of -43% experienced through August 2021. What is interesting, though, is how some destinations have still managed to grow, some by a large amount. For instance, the Maldives saw an increase in airline seats of 158% in August compared to August 2019, while for Egypt it was a massive 439%. These may not be the largest of the Russian outbound markets by a long way but it goes to show that even in difficult times there are some destinations which manage to make the most of the opportunities available, repositioning themselves and proactively winning engagement in target markets.

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Home / Russia Travel Tips

So you are planning to travel to Russia? Great! Asking yourself, what do I need to know before travelling to Russia? We’ve got you covered with a list of relevant Russia travel tips and essential info which you should consider before travelling to Russia.

Russia trip planning: what to consider before you go

*Click on any of the blue links below to navigate directly to the specific topic of Russia travel tips.

1: Russian Visa Application 2. Travel Insurance 3. Getting to Russia 4. Cash and Credit Cards 5. Russia Packing List and Essentials 6. Health and Travel Safety 7. Do’s and Don’ts

Russian Visa Application

Click on the image below and Download a free comprehensive guide: How to Apply for a Russian visa.

Most foreigners require a valid Russian visa to visit Russia for tourism purposes. Allow at least one month to secure your visa – don’t leave it until the last minute! There are several types of visa, but for most travellers, a tourist visa (single or double entry, valid for a maximum of 30 days) is sufficient. Getting a Russian visa involves 3 easy steps, invitation document, online application and registration.

Obtain a Russian visa invitation (support document)

You can easily apply online for an official Russian visa invitation letter using the following  link   on our website: Simply fill in the details, complete the associated fee payment and we will email the invitation in less than 24 hours.

Apply for a Russian visa

Once your invitation is received you will need to complete an online application form . After completing the application form you need to make an appointment at your local Russian Visa centre for lodgment.

In preparation for your visa application lodgment, you should include your valid passport (for at least six months), one passport photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm), a completed online Russian visa application form (printed and signed), the invitation letter which you will receive from 56th Parallel upon Application and the associated application fees.

Review your Russian Visa

Depending on the location and the level of service, you can expect to get the visa within 2-14 working days. Please ensure all the visa details are correct before you travel, as humans do sometimes make mistakes. If you notice any irregularities in your visa, please contact your nearest Russian visa centre and amend the required info.

The Russian visa process is much easier than it may sound and it is very uncommon for someone to be denied a Russian visa. However, if you have any questions or concerns we are always available to help.

Tip: Even if you are going to visit for less than 30 days, always apply for the full 30 days visa, and submit arrival and departure dates 29-30 days apart, this will avoid any issues should you need to extend your stay and provide you with a buffer time, just in case…

You should check your travel insurance documents before departure to ensure they are valid for the duration of your stay in Russia and that they cover the various activities you may partake on your trip. It must cover medical, cancellations costs.

56th Parallel strives to make your Russian holiday as safe and enjoyable as possible, but sometimes things get out of control, which is why adequate travel insurance is compulsory for all 56th Parallel tours. You must have travel insurance when travelling to Russia with 56th Parallel. We also recommend trip cancellation insurance as an extra precaution. You’ll be asked to provide details of your travel insurance policy before embarking on your Russian adventure.

We recommend using World Nomads’ travel insurance. You can get an instant quote here.

You can choose which travel insurance provider you’d like to use, but it’s extremely important that your chosen policy covers all aspects of the trip you’re undertaking, especially medical.

Getting to Russia & domestic airlines

Flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg are served daily by direct flights from most hubs of North America, Europe and Most of Asia. It is the remote locations of Russia’s Siberia and its cities that are sometimes challenging to find a perfect connection to from outside Russia unless you are connecting to them from Moscow.

Always allow enough time for transfers to and from the airports and be mindful of your accommodation and trip details before booking your flights.

There are airports in every Russian city even remote ones in Siberia. International services to these airports are growing fast. By the time you read this, you may find a direct connection to the most popular tourist destinations of Russia.

Visitors to Eastern Russia (regions of Siberia) commonly arrive on domestic flights from Moscow or St Petersburg or as an option an international flight from Beijing or other major Asian Hub (for Asia and Oceania travellers).

As Siberia opens up to travel and tourism, more options for international flights are becoming available. Aeroflot  Russian airlines is a go-to site when travelling to and within Russia.  S7 Airlines  offers flights to Novosibirsk from Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Frankfurt, and from Krasnoyarsk to Bangkok.  UTAir  offers good connections from many Russian hubs as well as seasonal flights from Bangkok to Krasnoyarsk. So make sure to check them all for the best connection to suit your travel plans.

Another option for getting to Russia is to arrive by train on the Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian railway, which originates in Moscow or Beijing and stops at all of our major departure points.

*Click on the image below to download a free guide to planning a perfect trip in Russia

Airport transfers

Be sure to check the detailed itinerary of your chosen tour to Russia and see if airport transfers are included (most of our tour include transfers). If your package does not include transfers and you’d like to secure a private airport transfer, please let us know at the time of booking and we can arrange a private car and driver to pick you up at your specified arrival time.

If you are arriving by train we will organise transfers to your hotel from the train station – simply contact us with the details of your train number and scheduled arrival time.

Taxis are available at airports and train stations for those who do not wish to book a private transfer. Make sure to do some research as to pricing so you do not get overcharged.

What’s best, cash or credit cards?

Usually, it is hard to exchange your currency to Russian rubles in your homeland due to the unpopularity of rubles abroad. You’ll be able to exchange money on arrival at the airport or use ATM to draw cash.

Credit cards can be used throughout Russia in shopping hubs, restaurants, cafes and bars.

However, if you are planning on bringing cash to exchange for rubles, US dollars or euros are preferred by points of Russian currency exchange. Banks are also readily available to exchange currency in Russian cities and will charge a reasonable exchange rate.

Tipping procedure

Tipping in Russia is entirely at your own discretion. Gratuities are not included in our tour price, however, we recommend you tip a small percentage, only if you are satisfied with the service and feel comfortable leaving a tip or gratuity. If you do decide to leave a tip, they can be made in US dollars, euros and rubles (recommended). A tip is usually around 5-10% of the price of the service at a restaurant or similar. As to guides drivers etc, it is best to tip a nominal amount as a % is maybe too much.

Again, it is not required to leave a tip in Russia but do so if you are satisfied with the service and you feel comfortable leaving gratitude.

Russia packing list and essentials

Since baggage restrictions are getting tighter and airlines are imposing higher fees, we recommend packing one bag per traveller and one smaller carry-on bag. If you bring more, you may be required to pay airline luggage fees. Having one bag per traveller will help you move through airport lines faster and ensure you don’t pay excessive luggage charges too.

If you are travelling for one week, pack enough clothes for your entire visit so you won’t have to worry about laundry. If your trip is longer, laundry services will be available at your hotel or cruise ship.

Weight limits

Check luggage limits with your airline to avoid having to pay additional costs. The weight limit for checked baggage is usually around 20 kg and you will be required to pay excess luggage fees should your luggage exceed this limit.

We advise that you carry with you any medication you will require and enough to last the duration of your trip to Russia.

It is important to bring clothing relative to the climate and activities of your tour. If you are travelling to Russia in winter, warm insulated clothes and waterproof footwear are integral. You will also need good quality gloves, a thick scarf and thermal layers to wear.

If you are travelling in Summer, bring clothing that you would usually wear in summer along with a light jacket or sweater for evening activities. Comfortable footwear is preferred. If your program includes a visit to an opera or theatre, we recommend a jacket and dark shoes for men and nice evening clothes for women. Black tie and fancy gowns are unnecessary.

Plugs and adapters

Electrical adapters in Russia use the two prongs round European outlets (see image).

Russia uses 220-volt electricity (America uses 110 volts). Most electrical devices will support both. You can look at the back of the power adapter to find out its supported voltage. If it is 110-240 volts, you can bring your device with you. If it is 110 volts, you will not be able to use it in Russia.

Check with your mobile service provider before you leave to ensure you have international roaming. Most major networks will have a service agreement with one of Russia’s national telcos and if so, your mobile phone will work in most Russian major cities. Mobile network coverage will, however, be limited or non-existent when you’re touring in remote areas of Russia.

Sim cards vs. international roaming

56th Parallel suggests that you consider buying a local sim card should you plan to make international calls to keep your international roaming charges down. Your tour leader will advise you on where you can purchase local sim cards.

Travel apps

Each major Russian city has free travel apps which include train timetables, trip planners and other travel tips when commuting around cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg using public transport.

Apps such as Kayak and Aeroflot will help you keep your flight itineraries together and search for travel information such as hotel and car booking, and check for flight delays and cancellations.

When in Moscow, Yandex.metro app will help you travel on public transport within the city with ease, providing you with maps, timetables, and a trip planner including a tool which searches for the best possible route and calculates your total journey time. When in St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Metro Train app is a must, providing you with travel tips at your fingertips. The Russia Beyond The Headlines (RBTH) app for iPad is the best place to find out what’s happening in Russia, with photo and video galleries of the latest events, movies, theatre and festivals as well as an interactive map to inspire you.

Translation guides

The iTranslate app translates words and phrases for you and is a handy tool for touching upon basic Russian phrases between day tours. 56th Parallel will also provide you with a free basic sayings and phrases e-book following your tour booking.

Many Russians can speak basic English and 56th Parallel’s local tour guides are all English-speaking.

Health and Travel Safety

Health & medicine.

56th Parallel will email you a tour-specific pre-departure information pack upon confirmation of your booking. This Russia travel tips pack will provide a suggested list of items including travel medical supplies. We recommend that you carry any prescribed medications with you and bring enough for your entire trip to Russia. Asthmas sufferers should ensure they have an adequate supply of medicine as, like most major European cities, St. Petersburg and Moscow can be quite polluted.

The health and safety of our guests are of utmost importance at 56th Parallel. Generally, our tours to Russia are intended for travellers in good health, for their safety and that of their fellow travellers. All guests of 56th Parallel must fill out and submit our health issues form. If you do have a pre-existing medical condition, it is vital that we know so in the unlikely event of an emergency or other need for medical assistance, we can take the best course of action.

VACCINES AND PILLS

You will not require any vaccinations for travelling in Russia. Like the majority of Europe, Russia is safe for foreigners. If you are taking prescription medication we recommend that you bring enough to last your entire trip. Even if you find the same medicine in Russia, you will need a prescription from a Russian doctor so difficulties may arise if you run short. Drinking tap water should be avoided, as even most locals don’t drink it unless it is boiled.

Should you get sick in Russia, contact your 56th Parallel tour guide as early as possible to ensure appropriate steps are made and you receive any necessary medical attention.

PERSONAL SAFETY

Despite perceptions, Russia is actually an incredibly safe place. General safety precautions should be taken much like any other travel destination. During your entire trip, you will have the safety and comfort of a private vehicle and driver as well as your 56th Parallel tour leaders.

Naturally, there are basic precautions you should take as you would travelling anywhere else in the world. We recommend that you carry a copy of your passport and visa with you at all times. Your tour leader can advise you on secure storage options of your original documents at each destination (usually a hotel safe will be available in your room).

Be cautious, as just like most major European cities Russia also has its share of pickpockets so be wary of carrying your valuables in your pockets. If you decide to venture out alone, always let your tour group leader or someone in your group know where you’re going and when you expect to return.

Is Tap Water Safe for Drinking in Russia?

We do recommend sticking to bottled water or boiling your tap water before drinking, but tap water won’t do any damage if you only have a few cups. Russian tap water meets sanitary standards, but there are traces of minerals such as too much calcium and sulphate. This doesn’t matter if you only drink a little, but it’s not the healthiest in the long-term. If you’re staying for more than a month, you might want to get into the habit of buying filtered or boiling your water before drinking.

Is it Safe for Women to Travel Alone in Russia?

Yes! Gender stereotypes are still quite rooted in Russian culture, so you’ll find that Russian men are surprisingly chivalrous. The culture views women as strong, independent and respected members of society, similar to images you might have seen of babushkas carrying logs in the tundra forests! So, you will typically feel respected and safe on the streets. Behave in Russia as you would at home.

Our tour leaders and guides will always provide detailed safety briefings when we visit remote/wilderness areas and participate in adventure activities. Listen carefully, follow the advice and always ask your tour leader or guide if there’s anything you’re unsure of.

CANCELLATIONS

Should a cancellation occur please send an email to  [email protected] , including your booking details, at your earliest convenience. Please note that certain fees will apply upon cancellation. 56th Parallel insists that you take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover you in any such event. Please refer to our  Booking Terms & Conditions  for more information.

Russia travel tips, The Do’s and Don’ts when in Russia

When visiting Russia there are a few things you should and shouldn’t do. If you’re one of the people who love blending in with the locals, this part of our Russia travel tips is for you!

Dress Nice When You’re Going Out

Russians like to dress nice and they keep it classy. If you’re going to a posh lunch-spot, a theatre or a night-club for a night out on town, you’ll need to look the part. Smart attire for men and a classy outfit for women is in good taste. It’s not complicated, but dressing up for the occasion will make you feel more immersed in the Russian culture during your activities.

Layer Up During Winter!

When winter strikes , you’ll regret it if you don’t layer up properly with a sweater and winter coat before heading out! You won’t get any bragging rights from being underdressed and boasting about how “it’s not that cold!” Dressing appropriately according to the weather is just considered a sensible thing to do. Don’t underestimate the sub-zero temperatures in Russia, dress accordingly, and you’ll enjoy yourself more!

Use the Metro!

The metro systems in Moscow and St. Petersburg are excellent for getting around, and they host some spectacular metro stations as well! The metro departs every 2-4 minutes typically and goes until quite late at night as well. Avoid the buses unless you have no other choice, and stick to the metros, and you’ll have a much better time in the Russian cities.

Learn Some Russian!

We highly suggest you learn some Russian before going! While locals can tell if you’re foreign quite easily, they will definitely appreciate seeing that you made the effort to learn a few phrases. Should you want to learn some basic Russian language, free lessons with audio are available at  Learning Russian .

Etiquette and Courtesy

While riding public transport, you are fully expected to give up your seats for elderly people and pregnant ladies. If you don’t do this the rest of the bus will look at you like a criminal!

Take your shoes off before entering someone’s home. A lot of Russian families have their homes adorned with expensive rugs. Typically you will be offered slippers (tapochki) to wear inside.

Always carry a photocopy of your passport and visa. Don’t be surprised, scared or act rudely towards police officers if you get stopped and asked to show your documentation.

Politics and History

While Russians are fine with having a respectful discussion about global political affairs, you should avoid engaging in a Russian political discussion if you’re not extremely well informed. Especially, don’t critique the current president or the political system unless you have considerable knowledge about history and context. Russians can find this quite patronising, even if they agree with parts of your argument since they often find that foreigners aren’t aware of the circumstances that led to the present political climate. Additionally, you should avoid criticising or pointing out past failures of the Soviet Union & the Russian state. Again, a reasonable discussion is fine, but directly criticising Russian history might not be received well. Tip: make sure to pay tribute to positive Soviet contributions and achievements. Russians have family that might have participated in past wars, and they might view their history with a different lens than you. In general, be respectful and considerate of Russian history and respect their opinions.

Stop in the middle of the Road to Take Pictures

We understand, the architecture in St. Petersburg and Moscow are outstanding, and there are plenty of picturesque scenes. But, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk while people are walking is going to make you stand out as an obvious and inconsiderate tourist, and you might get a few negative reactions. Simply, walk to the side and take your pictures from there, and the locals will be eternally grateful!

Mix Out Your Vodka!

Drinking Vodka is known as a tradition in Russia, and you wouldn’t want to dilute this tradition! Vodka is drunk pure in a single shot, so don’t sip it! If you need something to wash it down with, follow it with a lemon, pickle, or keep a separate glass of water close by. Tip: have some snacks with your vodka, and eat between shots. This will get you heaps of respect from locals and pays tribute to the country’s tradition and culture.

Give in to Stereotypes

We highly suggest that you keep an open mind about Russia and the Russian people when travelling. There are a lot of fantasies and myths about Russia in Western media and culture , so we encourage you to be optimistic and keep an open mind! We’re certain you will find the Russians aren’t so different to you after all!

Customs and Manners

Don’t take pictures inside churches and religious buildings unless you’ve asked the staff if it’s okay to do so.

Avoid burping in public. Your bodily functions are considered private affairs, so it’s best to keep them at home or very discreetly.

That concludes all of our Russia travel tips and an essential before you go checklist! We hope you found it useful in planning your trip to Russia and we look forward to seeing you on one of our journeys!

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Leading domestic flight destinations in Russia 2021, by passenger share

Most popular domestic flight destinations in russia from june to august 2021, by share of passengers.

Additional Information

Show sources information Show publisher information Use Ask Statista Research Service

September 2021

June to August 2021

* Simferopol, which is located on the Crimean Peninsula, was included in the list of domestic destinations by the source. The Republic of Crimea has been annexed by Russia in 2014 and has not been recognized as a part of Russia by most countries worldwide.

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Is there a domestic air travel industry in Russia? - Russia Forum

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Is there a domestic air travel industry in Russia?

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Since Russia is the biggest country in the world, I was wondering if there is a major domestic air travel industry in Russia. This is a topic that is obscure in the West.

So my question is, is there something like this in Russia? Are there many flights that you can find for about €10 to €20 between the different Russian cities? Is air travel popular inside of Russia? If not, is there a developing domestic aviation industry in Russia that could be on par with what exists in the EU or USA.

And this comes pretty cheap, usually way cheaper than flying, however expensive comfortable options exist...

Hope this answers your question.

Hey Trevor,

Are you sure it's because of VPN? I thought the issues was mainly because their SWIFT service is off completely and non-single US card worked for me when I tried to book a hotel in Moscow. The reservation was kept for me though, and as soon as I arrived they asked me to pay in cash (rubles only) or through any Russian cards. Never tried switching VPN to Russian channel.

No it’s all sleigh from what I saw. Some train too, but mostly domestic reindeer.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Simple Flying

All 10 of europe’s longest domestic routes are in russia.

Travel data provider OAG recently published its 'Busiest Routes 2020' report. This document examines the world's most extreme airline routes, with one category being the longest scheduled services. It has found that all of Europe's 10 longest domestic routes can be found in Russia, but where exactly do they go between?

The top 10 - all over 2,000 miles long

Russia, as well as being Europe's most populous country, is the world's largest by surface area. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that all of the 10 longest European domestic routes can be found here. Nonetheless, they still represent a striking contrast to the shortest routes in Europe , all 10 of which are less than 80 miles long.

The OAG report was compiled with data from the calendar year of 2019. It also shows that Russia's three longest domestic routes also stretch far enough to place 6th, 8th, and 9th in the world's top 10. North American routes dominate this category.

1) Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Moscow Sheremetyevo, 3,639 miles

This mammoth domestic flight connects the Russian capital with the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Sea of Okhotsk, just off the country's east coast. The route is served by 1,082 scheduled flights a year, operated by Russian flag carrier Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya . Both airlines use Boeing 777 aircraft on the route, which has a scheduled flight time of just under eight and a half hours.

2) Moscow Sheremetyevo - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 3,585 miles

Just over 50 miles shorter than its first-placed counterpart, this route links Moscow with the island of Sakhalin. This is Russia's largest island, and it is situated off the country's south-east coast, just to the north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Once again, the route is served by Aeroflot and Rossiya Boeing 777 aircraft. The 568 flights a year along this corridor are scheduled to take around eight and a quarter hours.

3) Moscow Sheremetyevo - Vladivostok, 3,457 miles

Using, once again, Aeroflot and Rossiya Boeing 777 aircraft, this route to the far south-east of the country is served by 1,023 flights a year. These are also scheduled to take around eight and a quarter hours. Rossiya is also the name of a train service along the Trans-Siberian Railway along this corridor, which takes a full week to traverse the country!

4) Khabarovsk Novy - Moscow Sheremetyevo, 3,313 miles

Served by 1,053 scheduled flights a year, this route between the capital and the east of Russia is the last in the top 10 measuring over 3,000 miles. Taking around seven and three-quarter hours, passengers have the choice between Aeroflot and Pegas Fly, who utilize Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft respectively.

5) Moscow Vnukovo - Yakutsk, 2,650 miles

Yakutsk is the capital of the Republic of Sakha, situated in the north-east of Russia. Flights between here and Moscow Vnukovo are operated by Yakutia Airlines, utilizing Boeing 737 aircraft. The scheduled flight time is seven hours or just under, and the route is served by 546 services a year.

The best of the rest

6)  Moscow Sheremetyevo - Yakutsk, 2,630 miles

7)  Moscow Domodedovo - Chita, 2,552 miles

8)  Ulan-Ude - Moscow Vnukovo, 2,396 miles

9)  Moscow Domodedovo - Ulan-Ude, 2,381 miles

10)  Irkutsk - Moscow Sheremetyevo, 2,272 miles

It remains to be seen what sort of effect the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will have on next year's figures. That said, Simple Flying reported last month that Russian domestic air travel had made a full recovery . Perhaps, therefore, this is one category whereby the data won't be quite as drastically different as one might expect.

What are your thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comment section.

Accessibility Links

Russian GPS jamming: which airlines and routes are affected?

Thousands of flights have been affected by suspected gps jamming. here’s what it means for air travel.

T housands of British flights have been targeted by suspected Russian GPS jamming near the Baltic region. Ryanair and Wizz Air logged the thousands of problems with their sat-navs, while a very small number of British Airways, Jet2, easyJet and Tui flights have also been affected. While GPS jamming can pose a danger to air travel, especially during take off and landing, pilots are trained to use alternative instruments if GPS navigation isn’t available to them. Here’s what you need to know.

What is GPS jamming?

All modern planes are built with equipment that send and receive constant signals from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the US’s Global Positioning System (GPS) and Europe’s Galileo. This information shows the precise location of the aircraft and helps the pilot to navigate during the course of a flight.

GPS jamming is when someone deliberately tries to overload an aircraft’s signal equipment with sustained interference in a way that means it can no longer send or receive information from GNSS. This means the plane’s location system will stop working, and neither the pilot nor flight trackers — which might be used by an aircraft nearby or air traffic controllers — will know where the plane is, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

GPS jamming is different from GPS spoofing, where someone uses signals to trick the plane’s equipment into thinking it’s somewhere else.

Which airlines and routes have been affected?

Using public flight logs, researchers from GPSJAM.org and The Sun found that 46,000 aircraft reported sat-nav problems while in the Baltic region between August 2023 and March 2024.

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It’s worth noting that the data only shows GPS interference, which could also come from factors such as solar flares and even tall buildings as opposed to GPS jamming.

However, GPSJAM.org said: “Areas where a significant percentage of aircraft report low navigation accuracy seem to correlate well with areas of known and suspected jamming.”

In total, 2,309 Ryanair and 1,368 Wizz Air flights were affected according to their research. Also affected were 82 flights operated by British Airways, seven by Jet2, four by easyJet and seven by Tui. The Times has contacted the affected airlines for comment; Tui has declined to comment.

More generally, GPS jamming is a known issue that’s increasing in frequency while the Baltic Sea is a target hotspot. In a report released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in September 2023, the industry body also cited the Black Sea, southeastern Mediterranean area and the Middle East, and the Arctic region as areas frequently impacted by GPS jamming.

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How worried should I be about travelling to eastern Europe?

Travellers heading to eastern Europe will obviously be concerned about the implications of GPS jamming.

However, it’s worth noting that GPS jammers have a limited range, which means once the plane leaves their vicinity, GPS navigation should return to normal. The most problematic period is during taxi, take-off and landing, when pilots and air traffic controllers need to know precisely where the aircraft is. Even then pilots are trained to overcome the issue.

Amanda Shaw, a pilot, said: “While GPS jamming is a known issue, it does not directly impact the safety of flights as commercial airlines have multiple backup systems in place to identify aircraft location and ensure accurate navigation.

“When jamming occurs, flight crews are trained to handle such situations calmly and effectively. So, travellers should not be concerned as the aviation industry has robust protocols to mitigate any risks posed by GPS interference.”

IATA has also recommended that pilots plan their routes around known GPS jamming hotspots.

What has the Foreign Office said?

The UK Foreign Office has not updated its travel advice for any of the Baltic states following the report on GPS jamming, and it does not look likely to do so.

In March 2024, a jet carrying defence secretary Grant Shapps was affected by GPS interference while flying near the Russian territory of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. The interference lasted for around 30 minutes, and the pilot was forced to rely on alternative methods of navigation. The safety of the aircraft was not affected.

A defence source said at the time: “While the RAF are well prepared to deal with this, it still puts an unnecessary risk on civilian aircraft and could potentially endanger people’s lives. There is no excuse for this and it’s wildly irresponsible on Russia’s part.”

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U.S. Secretly Shipped New Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine

Ukrainian forces for the first time used a longer-range version of weapons known as ATACMS, striking an airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in southeastern Ukraine.

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By Eric Schmitt

Reporting from Washington

The United States last week secretly shipped a new long-range missile system to Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces immediately used the weapons to attack a Russian military airfield in Crimea last Wednesday and Russian troops in the country’s southeast overnight on Tuesday, according to a senior U.S. official.

The United States previously supplied Ukraine with a version of the Army Tactical Missile Systems — known as ATACMS — armed with wide-spreading cluster munitions that can travel 100 miles.

But Ukraine has long coveted the system’s longer-range version, with a range of about 190 miles. That can reach deeper into occupied Ukraine, including Crimea, a hub of Russian air and ground forces, and supply nodes for Moscow’s forces in the country’s southeast.

Overnight Tuesday, Ukraine used the longer-range missiles to strike Russian troops in the port city of Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov, the senior U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.

Last Wednesday, social media accounts in Ukraine reported large fires and explosions at a military airfield in Dzhankoi, Crimea, which the senior administration official said was also a long-range ATACMS target. In an address that evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, the top Ukrainian commander, but did not elaborate on the attack.

In a major policy shift, President Biden secretly approved the decision to send more than 100 of the longer-range missiles in mid-February, the senior U.S. official said, as well as more of the cluster munition variant. They were part of a $300 million shipment of weapons to Ukraine in March, the first new aid package for the country since funding ran out in late December.

Administration officials kept the shipment secret to avoid tipping off the Russians. When the United States has provided long-range weapons to Ukraine in the past, the Ukrainians have initially inflicted severe damage on Russian forces. But the Russians then pull back their forces and arms depots out of the weapons’ range until Ukraine can employ a new donated system with longer reach. The longer-range ATACMS were among the last major weapons systems that Kyiv wanted and the United States was reluctant to give.

Mr. Biden and his top aides dropped their reluctance to donate the longer-range missiles for several reasons, the official said. The Army decided to keep more of the missiles rather than selling them to other countries, easing Pentagon concerns about shortages. Russia’s increasing use of ballistic missiles and more attacks against critical infrastructure also bolstered Ukraine’s plea for weapons that could help counter those threats.

Additional longer-range missiles were also included in the $60.8 billion of aid for Ukraine that was part of legislation President Biden signed on Wednesday. In praising the infusion of military assistance, including the new missiles, lawmakers and Mr. Zelensky have made no mention of the fact that Ukraine already received and employed a small number of the weapons, presumably to keep their use secret from Russia.

The initial strike using the new missiles made a fiery impact. Videos posted online by residents last Wednesday showed fires erupting after the attack. The videos have not been independently verified. Four hours after the strike, Crimean Wind, a group monitoring local social media posts that also cites residents, wrote that ammunition was still blowing up. They said windows were blown out in houses near the airfield. Its account also could not be independently verified.

Later, the Ukrainian General Staff released a video of the missile strike detailing what Ukrainian security officials said had been hit — four S-400 surface-to-air missile systems , three radar stations, an air defense command post and a Fundament-M air defense command and control system.

The $300 million arms package announced last month was cobbled together from savings on contracts that came in under bid and included air defense interceptors, artillery rounds and armor systems, senior defense officials said.

Biden administration officials acknowledged that the arms package in March was a stopgap measure at best, providing Ukraine with only a few weeks’ worth of arms and ammunition. Ukraine is in need of air defense systems, as Russia has continued its bombardment of towns, particularly in the east.

Key members of Congress were notified at the time that the secret shipment of ATACMS was included in that package, but Biden administration officials made no public mention that either type of ATACMS was bound for Ukraine.

But as the strikes by the longer-range weapons became public on Wednesday, proponents of sending advanced weaponry to Ukraine praised their performance.

“These strikes proved — once again — that Ukraine can notch battlefield victories when given the right tools,” Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. “Ukraine can put a target on every Russian asset in Crimea, including critical ammunition and fuel depots. Imagine if they had these missiles two years ago.”

The strike last week followed a number of successful Ukrainian attacks on military targets inside Russia. The day before the strike, for example, the Ukrainian security service claimed to have destroyed a long-range radar located 434 miles beyond Ukraine’s border. But those used kamikaze-type drones produced in Ukraine.

American military officials have warned that their arsenal of ATACMS is relatively small, and the missiles have been committed for other Pentagon war plans, in places including the Korean Peninsula. Only about 4,000 ATACMS have been manufactured since the missile was developed in the 1980s, according to Lockheed Martin, the system’s manufacturer.

Still, many advocates of arming Ukraine have dismissed the Biden administration’s fear of escalating the conflict with Russia and have urged the White House to give Kyiv the weapons Ukrainian officials say they need to win.

Shortly after Ukraine launched its counteroffensive last summer, House Republicans called on the Biden administration to “immediately” send ATACMS to Ukraine, noting that other allies like Britain and France had already donated long-range missiles.

In the past few days, Russian troops have entered several villages in eastern Ukraine, as Ukrainian troops continue to struggle to hold their lines.

Russia has advanced quickly into the outskirts of Chasiv Yar , a crucial town for Ukraine’s defense of the Donbas region. Russian forces also continued capturing villages northwest of Avdiivka, which fell to Russia in February .

Helene Cooper contributed reporting from Washington, and Marc Santora and Maria Varenikova from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times, focusing on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism issues overseas, topics he has reported on for more than three decades. More about Eric Schmitt

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

Chasiv Yar, a small Ukrainian town, has been under relentless attack by Russian forces. Controlling the town  would put them in striking distance of key Ukrainian operational and supply centers.

The United States secretly shipped a new long-range missile system  to Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces immediately used the weapons to attack a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in the country’s southeast.

For residents of Ukraine’s second-largest city, daily Russian attacks have escalated fears  but have not brought life to a standstill. Here’s how a battered city  carries on.

Images From Year Three of the War: For all that time, photographers with The New York Times and other news organizations have chronicled the war , capturing a slice of how soldiers and civilians have experienced it. Some images will never leave them.

Nato’s Show of Force: About 90,000 NATO troops have been training in Europe for the Great Power war that most hope will never come : a clash between Russia and the West with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Resuming U.S. Military Aid: Weapons from the support package, considered “a lifeline” for Ukraine’s military , could be arriving on the battlefield within days . But experts say it could take weeks before there is a direct impact on the war . What would $60 billion buy ?

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .