On September 2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose sanctions on 73 logistics and aviation companies that transport weapons, military equipment, sanctioned goods, and components for Russia’s military-industrial complex from Iran and North Korea. Among them is Aerostan Airlines LLC, Kyrgyzstan’s largest cargo operator by fleet size.
What do we know about Aerostan Airlines?
Aerostan Airlines LLC is a charter cargo airline based at Manas International Airport (FRU) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Its fleet consists of three Boeing 747s and two Airbus A300B4s, primarily serving routes to Asia, Africa, Central, and South America.
From the UAE to Moscow via Kyrgyzstan
According to the “Ukrainian Economic Security Council,” Aerostan Airlines has completed dozens of flights from Sharjah, UAE, to Moscow, with transit stops in Manas, during the full-scale war. From June to September 2023 alone, the airline’s planes transported over 400 tons of cargo to Russia, including goods potentially for military use, such as electronic components, aviation and automotive parts, industrial equipment, cameras, and equipment for remotely controlled drones.
Spare parts for sanctioned Russian aviation
In September 2023, along with civilian electronics and household appliances, Aerostan Airlines delivered aviation equipment to Russia. The recipients included the Russian company “Fasteyr International,” which services aircraft, and the airline “Pobeda,” under sanctions from both the U.S. and Ukraine.
Machinery from the EU and Asia for Russia’s military-industrial complex
That same month, Aerostan Airlines transported machinery from the EU and Asia to Russia. The final recipient was “Grover International,” a company that had previously supplied Indian equipment to the Russian defense company “Iskra,” part of Russia’s military-industrial complex.
Materials for explosives
In November 2023, the airline delivered magnesium perchlorate, produced by U.S.-based American Alpha Resources, to Sheremetyevo Airport in Russia. This chemical is used in explosives manufacturing. The same flight also transported connectors weighing 2,375 kg for the “ITELMA” group, which supplied electronics to Russian defense industry companies like KamAZ and GLONASS.
How will sanctions affect Aerostan Airlines?
“Aerostan Airlines exemplifies companies friendly to Russia, actively supporting its economy and military potential while avoiding sanctions until now. This is not a shell company; it is a significant business engaged in international operations. Ukrainian sanctions, coordinated with Western partners, could severely disrupt this activity. This should serve as a warning to other logistics and transportation companies that continue to cooperate with the aggressor state,” explains Denis Hutyk, Senior Advisor to the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU).