"It cited a high risk of foreign-leased planes being impounded as part of Western sanctions that ban leasing of planes to Russia."
Well, and they can't pay various airport and landing fees, or for local fuel due to bank sanctions. And can't sell in most foreign countries because their GDS partners dropped them. And can't fly over large swaths of airspace. And they can't get parts from Boeing or AirBus. And...
According to wikipedia their fleet is 95 % Airbus and Boing. I’d assume the sanctions (lack of parts/service) may make it not possible to operate those. In that case the sanctions are very effective.
It will also be very interesting to see if they can continue to produce, or even maintain, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 while under sanctions (The engine is partly made by french company Snecma). If they can’t, the russian aviation industry will come to a screeching halt, very fast.
Interesting times for everyone, and not in a good way…
Europe will not reduce sanctions until Putin is in the Hague on trial and Russian forces have left Ukraine.
And even then Europe will spend and spend on miltary until we can take the nukes away from Russia by force. We won't be save until that day. So that's the end goal.
Well, and they can't pay various airport and landing fees, or for local fuel due to bank sanctions. And can't sell in most foreign countries because their GDS partners dropped them. And can't fly over large swaths of airspace. And they can't get parts from Boeing or AirBus. And...