---
title: "Spontaneous consolidation: how parts and staffing issues are pushing Russian aviation into a single holding company"
description: "Rostec is merging Red Wings and SkyGates into a single holding. Ukrainian intelligence believes this is an attempt to hide deep problems with parts and staffing. Experts warn: restructuring will not restore Western supplies or stop the degradation of the fleet ✈️📉"
date: 2026-07-26T13:16:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/spontaneous-consolidation-how-parts-and-staffing-issues-are-pushing-russian-aviation-into-a-single-holding-company
tags: [red wings, rostec, skygates, russian aviation, svr]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Spontaneous consolidation: how parts and staffing issues are pushing Russian aviation into a single holding company

![Turboprop aircraft Il-76 taking off, illustrating the current state and challenges of the Russian aviation industry.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/26/rostech-obedinyaet-aviakompanii-v-edinij-holding/rostech-obedinyaet-aviakompanii-v-edinij-holding-1.webp)

Major structural changes are looming in Russian civil aviation. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU), the state corporation Rostec plans to merge several key market players into a single aerospace holding company. The targets of this centralization include the passenger airline Red Wings, the cargo carrier SkyGates, the medical aviation sector, and the leasing company Aviacapital-Service. The official operator of the new structure is expected to be Ilyushin Finance Co.

### Official version versus real problems

In press releases and official statements, the reorganization is presented as a step towards optimization. The main arguments cited are the need for centralized management and the creation of a single, efficient technical maintenance system. However, intelligence experts believe that behind the facade of "increased efficiency" lies an attempt to mask deep financial crises of individual assets by consolidating their reporting within a single structure.

### Crisis in passenger transport

The situation at one of the holding's key companies, Red Wings, looks alarming. According to sources, the airline is already unable to fully execute its charter program. The carrier's fleet includes three Boeing 777 aircraft, but the reality of their operation is far from ideal:

- Only one airliner is operating regular flights;

- The second aircraft is used exclusively as a reserve;

- The third is effectively not in operation.

The situation is exacerbated by internal management conflicts and a mass exodus of qualified specialists, making the fulfillment of transport plans an increasingly difficult task.

### Cargo aviation on the brink

Things are no better for the cargo carrier SkyGates. The company is facing a systemic shortage of engines and critical spare parts. Repair work is being delayed indefinitely, and the fleet is rapidly aging, becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. The lack of Western components turns every flight into a lottery.

### The illusion of a solution

SZRU specialists emphasize that the creation of a new holding is not a panacea. The reform, in their opinion, will only allow for the redistribution of existing resources — finances, personnel, and spare parts — between companies, but will not create new ones. The number of aircraft, engines, and qualified pilots will not increase as a result of such reorganization.

"No reorganization scheme will restore the supply of Western components to Russia, accelerate the serial production of domestic aircraft, or stop the outflow of personnel exhausted by years of emergency measures," Ukrainian intelligence summarized.

### Economic context

Aviation problems are just part of the general picture of the deterioration of the Russian economy. Analysts are recording a rise in military spending, inflation, and an acute labor shortage. Previously, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that the Moscow Exchange experienced one of its largest drops in four years, and VTB stocks reached an all-time low. Russian business is increasingly pessimistic about prospects, linking these processes to the long-term consequences of the war against Ukraine.