Stranded Russian Airlines at Leipzig Airport
Since the EU flight ban was imposed on February 28, 2022, several sanctioned Russian aircraft remain grounded at German airports. This situation continues as of August 2025.
Key locations hosting these immobilized aircraft include Leipzig-Halle Airport, with three Antonov AN-124 cargo jets owned by Volga-Dnepr, Cologne-Bonn Airport, home to a Boeing 737 operated by cargo airline Atran and a Bombardier Challenger 300 owned by UTair, and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, sheltering a grounded Boeing 747, formerly operated by British CargoLogicAir.
Investigations are ongoing to clarify aircraft ownership and potential sanction circumvention. Russian manufacturers face difficulties in producing new jets due to component embargoes and financial deterrents. Moreover, Russian airlines are grounding many Airbus A320neo and A321neo planes due to maintenance issues tied to sanctions on US-made engines.
Approval from lessors and insurers remains uncertain for foreign airlines offering to operate or maintain these grounded Russian aircraft. Russia’s FSB has blocked the return of some Airbus aircraft to foreign lessors on national security grounds. Only four foreign aircraft have been allowed to return since the sanctions began.
The grounding of these aircraft is a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine. The ongoing investigations into unclear ownership issues prevent a final statement about other grounded aircraft. As of now, the grounded aircraft are from Russian cargo airline Atran and Russian airline Utair.
Notably, a Boeing 747 of the British cargo company CargoLogicAir, previously grounded at Frankfurt/Hahn Airport due to sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict, was removed from the sanctions list on May 9, 2023. The aircraft left Frankfurt/Hahn Airport at the end of November/beginning of December 2023 for an unknown destination.
Previously, an Aeroflot Airbus A320 was grounded at Munich Airport but was cleared to depart after the Irish-Chinese leasing company paid accrued fees of 470,000 euros. The aircraft took off for Ostrava in the Czech Republic.
In conclusion, the Russian aircraft sanctioned and grounded in Germany since 2022 largely remain immobilized due to the EU flight ban and unresolved ownership or maintenance issues. With ongoing sanctions enforcement and limited prospects for their return or operation outside Russia in the near term, this situation continues to be a significant point of contention.
[1] Source for ownership and operational challenges: [Insert Source] [2] Source for proposals and complications regarding these grounded aircraft: [Insert Source]
- The grounding of Russian aircraft at German airports, such as Leipzig-Halle Airport, Cologne-Bonn Airport, and Frankfurt-Hanni Airport, is not only due to the EU flight ban but also linked to ongoing investigations regarding aircraft ownership and potential sanction circumvention in the context of war-and-conflicts and politics.
- The ongoing challenges in obtaining approval from lessors and insurers, combined with national security concerns and maintenance issues tied to sanctions, have made it difficult for foreign airlines to operate or maintain these immobilized Russian aircraft in general-news.
