There are not enough pilots, planes are falling apart: Russia is losing control over aviation

Russia is recording a noticeable increase in the number of aviation incidents and fatalities during flights.

This was reported by The Moscow Times, citing data from Rostransnadzor, the federal transport supervision service.

According to statistics, in 2024, there were 17 air accidents in the Russian Federation – twice as many as in 2023 (8 cases). The number of deaths also increased sharply – 37 people compared to 12 the year before.

Since the beginning of 2025, the situation has only worsened: four serious incidents have already been recorded, including two accidents and two plane crashes, resulting in the deaths of 53 people.

Russian regulators admit that one of the main reasons is widespread violations of air law by commercial airlines. Carriers do not comply with aircraft maintenance standards, and pilots often do not receive proper training.

Because of this, the authorities began an inspection of 51 regional air carriers, including companies such as Azimut, Alrosa, Aurora, Izhavia, and IrAero.

Separately, analysts pay attention to the impact of sanctions: after the mass decommissioning of Western aircraft, the burden fell on outdated Soviet models – An-2, An-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, for which spare parts have not been produced for a long time. Repairs are carried out from “warehouses of old parts” or by dismantling preserved sides.

The situation is also worsened by the aging of the Russian aviation industry. Young pilots are in no hurry to work on 50-year-old aircraft without proper technical support, and experienced pilots are gradually leaving the profession.

“Young people don’t want to get behind the wheel of half-dead planes, and old pilots simply can’t physically stand it – and are leaving the industry,” the material quotes representatives of the aviation sector as saying.

As a reminder, on October 3, an An-2 light transport aircraft belonging to the Borus company crashed in the Krasnoyarsk Territory of Russia. There were two crew members on board, at least one person died. Currently, Russian investigators have opened a case for violation of air transport operation rules, which caused the death of people.

As reported, an An-24 passenger plane crashed in Russia, flying from Khabarovsk to Tynda . The incident occurred in the Amur region, not far from the destination airport. There were 49 people on board, including 43 passengers and 6 crew members.

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