Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday that Russia has achieved complete import substitution in its aircraft manufacturing sector,a response to pressures of international sanctions. Speaking at a national aviation meeting in Zhukovsky, he emphasized that the country has successfully developed full range of military and civilian aircraft, which he views as a critical measure of Russia's technical and industrial sovereignty.
Putin stated,"In view of big number of reasons,primarily the sanction pressure,we have situation changed and Russia had to but yet managed to make the complete import substitution." He highlighted that Russian aircraft now surpass their Western counterparts in various aspects, asserting that domestic models must not only compete but do so successfully in terms of quality,reliability, and performance.
Among the new aircraft mentioned were MC-21, SSJ-100, and Il-114,which Putin described as having "a very good level." Although the MC-21 program faced two-year delay due to sanctions,Russian manufacturers have adapted and met challenges posed by these restrictions.
However,Putin acknowledged that there is risk of not meeting national air transportation targets. He urged the Ministry of Transport to provide updated forecasts on passenger traffic and to outline additional measures to meet public demand for air travel. "I request the Ministry of Transport to report today the updated plans on the forecast passenger traffic and inform what additional measures will be implemented to meet the needs of citizens for air travel as much as possible," he said.
Putin also pointed out that Western airlines and manufacturers have suffered losses due to the sanctions they imposed on Russia. He remarked, "It should be said that those who adopted these restrictions sustained certain damage themselves on the whole. These are the carriers, in the first instance. The manufacturers also, as we bought the aircraft from them in large quantities." He noted that Russian air carriers were among the first to feel the impact of sanctions,facing challenges in aircraft maintenance and operations.
To address these issues,Putin called for a swift and large-scale response from the government, airlines, and aviation industry . He stressed the importance of enhancing passenger air transportation volumes while improving flight safety and comfort. The focus now is on building competencies and technological capabilities within the aviation sector,as well as increasing supply of domestically produced aircraft.
