Elite jet worth US$110 million imported from EU for Russian billionaire, circumventing sanctions
A new Airbus A320neo business jet has entered Russia despite sanctions banning the supply of foreign aircraft. Its new owner may be Zarakh Iliev, one of the founders of the Kievskaya Ploschad [Kiev Square] Group [Russia’s largest company in the commercial property market – ed.].
Source: The Moscow Times
Details: Iliev is under US and UK sanctions. Forbes noted that his net worth was about US$3 billion.
Kievskaya Ploschad Group's income from the lease in 2023 was US$1.76 billion (Iliev owned half of this business).
One source said that Iliev bought his plane to replace an old Airbus A318CJ. Another source confirmed that the owner was connected to the Kievskaya Ploschad Group.
Airbus Corporate Jets rolled out this aircraft at the end of 2019 under serial number 8774. In January 2020, it was flown to Basel to be fitted with a VIP interior and painted, which took a year.
The aircraft was purchased through a company registered in San Marino with an address in Malta and was given the number T7-HHH. In the summer of 2022, the Airbus ACJ320neo changed its registration to Azerbaijani and received another number, 4K-5555. Then it received the Tajik number EY-565 and changed its registration to Russian and the number RA-73889 on 14 June.
The Airbus A320neo became the first ACJ business jet from the NEO family of planes in Russia. It is an improved version of the Airbus A320 family of aircraft. The jet can cover a distance of 11,100 kilometres with 25 passengers on board and stay in the air for up to 13 hours. There are only 10 such business jets in the world.
Background:
- Prices for equipment and electronics in Russia may rise by 15-20% by autumn due to EU sanctions against the "Russian SWIFT" – the SPFS (Financial Messaging System).
- Earlier, the EU imposed restrictions on the Russian Financial Messaging System as part of the 14th package of sanctions, banning European companies from connecting to it and from conducting transactions with those who make payments through the system outside Russia.
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