Putin’s inner circle evades sanctions to fly luxury Western private jets

Recent investigations reveal that Russian elites are still acquiring and flying $75 million Western-made private jets despite strict international trade bans.

To bypass these sanctions, Moscow-linked individuals utilize intermediary firms to purchase Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft on the global secondary market. These high-end jets are frequently registered in third countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, before being flown into Moscow's Vnukovo airport. This specialized supply chain allows the Kremlin's wealthiest allies to maintain lavish international lifestyles while the broader Russian economy remains restricted.

Western regulators are now under significant pressure to close registration loopholes and penalize the global middlemen facilitating these luxury transfers.