---
title: "Forbidden Flights: How the Russian Elite Bypasses Sanctions and Flies Western Business Jets"
description: "An investigation by WSJ and RBK-Ukraine revealed how Putin's circle bypasses sanctions: Chemezov, Rotenberg, and Kesaev continue to fly on Western jets via \"gray\" schemes in the UAE and Azerbaijan ✈️🇷🇺🚫"
date: 2026-06-07T02:56:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/forbidden-flights-how-the-russian-elite-bypasses-sanctions-and-flies-western-business-jets
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Forbidden Flights: How the Russian Elite Bypasses Sanctions and Flies Western Business Jets

![Airplane flying against the backdrop of the Russian flag — illustration for the article on how the Russian elite bypasses sanctions and flies on Western business jets](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/07/rossijskaya-elita-obhodit-sanktsii-na-zapadnyh-dzhetahs/rossijskaya-elita-obhodit-sanktsii-na-zapadnyh-dzhetahs-1.webp)

Despite strict Western sanctions imposed on Russia, the inner circle of President Vladimir Putin continues to use elite aviation services. An investigation conducted by The Wall Street Journal and published by RBK-Ukraine reveals the schemes used by Russian oligarchs and officials to gain access to expensive Western-made aircraft.

### Luxury Amidst Isolation

A Bombardier Global 7500 business jet is based at Vnukovo airport in Moscow. The cost of this Western-built airliner is approximately $75 million. Initially, such aircraft served the global business elite, but now they are also accessible to figures close to the Kremlin.

Among those using these aircraft are Sergey Chemezov, head of Rostec, the president's long-time ally Arkady Rotenberg, and oligarch Igor Kesaev. Their flights allow them to maintain their accustomed standard of living and mobility despite international isolation.

### Routes and Owners

Sergey Chemezov, who has collaborated with Putin since their service in the KGB in East Germany in the 1980s, frequently visited Europe in the past. After 2022, his route shifted towards the UAE, where, according to media reports, he owns a villa on Palm Jumeirah. According to Flightradar24 data, between October 2025 and January 2026, Chemezov made about six flights to the UAE on his jet.

Arkady Rotenberg, who practiced judo with Putin in his youth, became one of the largest beneficiaries of state contracts after the president came to power. Having been under sanctions since 2014, he gained access to two Bombardier Global aircraft at the end of 2022. These aircraft regularly fly to countries that have not joined the sanctions regime, particularly the UAE and Azerbaijan.

Igor Kesaev, who made his fortune trading tobacco and alcohol in the 90s, was sanctioned by the US and EU for supporting the Russian defense sector. In 2023, he imported a Bombardier Global Express XRS business jet.

### Bypass Schemes: The "Gray Zone" and Intermediaries

Before the start of the full-scale war, Russian oligarchs actively used the services of European operators from Switzerland, Luxembourg, and San Marino. Today, access to these direct schemes is limited, but new bypass mechanisms through intermediaries have emerged.

The investigation showed that European companies purchase Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft on the secondary market. They then register them in jurisdictions that do not support sanctions against Russia—such as the UAE, Oman, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. Only after changing registration do the aircraft effectively come under the control of Russian clients.

Maria Verovich, Vice President of Marketing at Ch-Aviation, noted that some European companies operate in the "gray zone," supplying aircraft to third parties who then resell them to Russia. In particular, Chemezov's aircraft was first registered in the Bermuda Islands and managed by the Vienna-based company Avcon, before passing under the management of the Russian company Tarp Aviation.

### Reaction and Risks

Avcon stated that they comply with EU and US sanctions regimes, however, shares in the companies are linked to the Vienna-based trust structure SecuTrust, which did not provide comments. A Bombardier representative stated the existence of a comprehensive sanctions compliance system, but experts point out vulnerabilities.

Felix Helmstedter, a sanctions expert from Humboldt University in Berlin, notes that such schemes may violate both export restrictions and personal sanctions against ultimate owners. Former OFAC Director John Smith added that sanctions control was not a priority for the US administration during certain periods, which allowed Russia to expand access to Western goods.