Hobbled by sanctions that have thinned out the Russian civilian air fleet, Moscow has reportedly requested that neighbouring Kazakhstan help maintain Russia’s domestic aviation operations.

The Russian Ministry of Transport is in negotiations for Kazakh airlines to operate internal Russian flights, according to a report published by The Moscow Times. The move would be unprecedented. Only domestic airlines have historically been permitted to conduct such flights in Russia. Kazakhstan, though, stretching 7,644 kilometres (4,750 miles) along Russia’s southern border, is, logistically speaking, well placed to back up the Russian domestic flights network.

“We are speaking about the so-called cabotage transportation when a foreign airline conducts passenger operations within another country. Currently, only domestic airlines are eligible to operate such flights in Russia. We are examining a cabotage option due to the fleet shortage,” Roman Starovoyt, the Minister of Transport of Russia, was reported as saying by Interfax.

According to The Moscow Times, Russian airlines had approximately 850 aircraft at their disposal before the war with Ukraine broke out in February 2022. However, just a year later, the fleet was down to 736 aircraft, largely due to Western sanctions imposed in response to the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The sanctions restrict Russia’s access to spare parts and new aircraft, particularly where Western-made aircraft are concerned. Some forecasts anticipate that Russia could lose towards half of the remaining fleet within two years if current trends continue.

Responding to the growing difficulties, Russian authorities have tried to develop a self-reliant aircraft manufacturing industry, with a focus on models like the Tupolev Tu-214 and Ilyushin Il-96-300. However, these efforts have run into substantial delays and Moscow has radically cut the programme. Production has been slow, with only one aircraft of each model completed so far. Plans for two import-substituting Sukhoi Superjets have not delivered.

For 2025, officials who were targeting Russian production of 82 aircraft, are now anticipating 20, according to Russian media reports. The plan for 2026 is said to have been reduced from 120 airliners to 97, and for 2027, from 180 to 140.

Sergei Chemezov, CEO of the Russian state’s Rostec (State Corporation for the Promotion of the Development, Manufacture and Export of High Tech Products) warned Russian President Vladimir Putin last year that the accelerated “retirement” of airliners from foreign manufacturers would begin in 2025, since they will need “major repairs”.

In September, Interfax reported Putin as expressing dissatisfaction with delays in Russia’s efforts to create a regional aircraft.

In Kazakhstan, meanwhile, the civil aviation industry is booming, partly as a result of the demise of its Russian counterpart. Carriers such as flagship airline Air Astana are expanding and earning rave reviews, airports are being extended and modernised and the government is rolling out plans for the building of several new regional airports dotted across the country.