Russia is stealing commercial aircraft

The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority has provisionally suspended the certificates of airworthiness of all aircraft operated by Russian airlines on the Bermudan registry. The suspension affects roughly 700 aircraft, including nearly 600 operated for Russia’s largest passenger airlines. Irish authorities have also suspended the certificates of airworthiness for Russian operated aircraft on the Irish registry.

A majority of aircraft operated by Russian commercial airlines are leased, not owned by the airlines. Often as part of that lease, the aircraft are placed on the Bermudan registry as part of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Article 83bis delegation agreements. An 83bis agreement between Russia and Bermuda means that Bermudan authorities assume responsibility for ensuring operations, maintenance, and continuing airworthiness.

On 14 March, Russia passed a law allowing foreign-registered aircraft owned by non-Russian lessors to be placed on the Russian registry. The new law increases the likelihood that few aircraft owned by foreign lessors will be recovered.

Aircraft kept by Russian airlines in the face of lease cancellation and the suspension of their certificates of airworthiness are being re-registered on the Russian civil aircraft registry. The new registrations begin with RA-. Some aircraft have been stored outside of Russia by airlines or lessors. Those locations are noted in the new registrations column.

https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/tracking-re-registered-russian-jets/