The District Court for the Eastern District of New York has issued an arrest warrant for the Boeing 737-7JU plane, which US authorities believe is the property of Russian company Rosneft. On this subject informed US Department of Justice press office.
The reason for the plane’s arrest is a violation of anti-Russian sanctions and US export laws. Sanctions restrictions include a ban on US-made planes flying to Russia without a valid license.
According to the US Department of Justice, since February 2022, when export restrictions were tightened, the Boeing 737-7JU has flown out and returned to Russia “at least seven times” in violation of the law.
“By violating Commerce Department export controls, Rosneft has diverted its aircraft for smuggling,” said Justice Department spokesman Andrew Adams, who estimate Reuters.
According to the US Department of Justice, the plane was last in the United States in March 2014 and is now in Russia or en route to or from the country. The agency values the plane at $25 million.
After the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the European Union and the United States closed the skies to Russian airlines and also banned the supply of civilian aircraft and spare parts to Russia. Ocean liners leased from Russian carriers were ordered to be returned to lessors.
By account RBC, nearly 200 planes of Russian companies and individuals are under US sanctions.
In January 2023, Izvestia wrote that Russia had legalized a procedure that allows you to remove serviceable spare parts from some aircraft and install them on others. The head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, said that this practice had already been used, including in the USSR. According to him, while maintaining airworthiness on Airbus and Boeing airliners, “you can fly safely” until 2030.
