Top executives of Russia's largest aircraft plants dismissed over civil aviation failure

Russian authorities are launching a "purge" of top aviation industry managers after the sector failed to deliver on the Kremlin's plan to produce domestic civil aircraft as replacements for Western models.

Source: The Moscow Times 

The CEO of PJSC Yakovlev, Andrei Boginsky, and the Managing Director of PJSC Tupolev, Konstantin Timofeev, have been removed from their positions. Boginsky was dismissed by order of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for the "failure of the civil aviation programme".  

Leadership changes include Vadim Badeha, CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), personally taking over management of Yakovlev. Meanwhile, Alexander Bobryshev, UAC's Deputy CEO for State Defence Orders, has been appointed to head up Tupolev.  

These changes are reportedly tied to the urgent need for "timely certification and the launch of mass production for a new line-up of domestic civil airliners".  

The government’s ambitious plan to revive the aviation industry aimed to produce 40 civil airliners in 2023. By 2026, production was to ramp up to 120 planes annually, reaching 200 by 2028 and 230 by 2030 – the highest level since the late 1970s.  

The programme also projected that Russian airlines would receive two import-substituted Sukhoi Superjets and three Tu-214 airliners last year. For this year, the targets included 20 Sukhoi Superjets, seven Tu-214s, six MC-21 regional jets, and two Il-114-300 turboprops.  

In reality, the industry managed to deliver only two Tu-214s and one Il-96-300. As a result, the government has drastically scaled back its goals. Production for 2025 has been cut from 82 planes to just 20. The 2026 goal has been reduced from 120 to 97, and the 2027 target lowered from 180 to 140. 

Background:

• Western sanctions are causing Russian airlines to lose more aircraft, compounding the industry's struggles.
• At the same time, Kazakh specialists are reportedly maintaining Russian Su-30SM fighter jets using French-made equipment from Thales and Safran, bypassing the sanctions.

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