The media “Verstka” refers to the Russian database of foreign economic activity with information on exports and imports of goods, as well as customs declarations. This data shows that airBaltic allegedly attempted to purchase 28 fuel products from Russia between February 2022 and at least March 2024. 13 deals were successful.

Two purchases may have taken place immediately after the full-scale Russian invasion, in February and March 2022, on the basis of contracts with Gazprom Neft-Aero. The other 11 deals are dated in the sources to 2023 and the supplier is Tatneftjaviaservis.

Are these transactions in violation of EU sanctions on Russian companies? The restrictions in place since June 2022 state that “it is prohibited to purchase, import or transfer, directly or indirectly, petroleum products (…) if they are produced or exported from Russia”. However, the sanctions did not yet apply to contracts that had to be executed by February 5 2023.

Verstka has concluded that supplies of aviation fuel to airBaltic after February 5 2023 until March 2024 may have been made in violation of the EU sanctions restrictions.

airBaltic denies this information.

The national airline stressed that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the entry into force of EU sanctions, it has not cooperated with Russian fuel suppliers or paid Russian companies and has suspended flights to that country.

The last payments made by airBaltic to Gazprom Neft-Aero were made in March and April 2022 for services provided before the introduction of sanctions. The last payment to Tatneftneftjaviaservis was made in November 2021, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

airBaltic also stressed that it is in strict compliance with the EU sanctions restrictions on aviation fuel, which entered into full force in February 2023.

Therefore, airBaltic denies the allegation that it procured fuel in violation of the sanctions.

The company’s majority shareholder, the Ministry of Transport, also said in a written reply to Latvian Radio: “The national airline airBaltic has confirmed that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the entry into force of the relevant fuel import sanctions imposed by the European Union, airBaltic does not cooperate and has no contractual relations with Russian fuel suppliers.”

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