Russia seized some 500 leased Boeing and Airbus airliners after invading Ukraine. Western sanctions against Russia have taken a toll on the country's aviation sector — forcing the country to get creative to keep its planes flying. This included closing US, EU, and other allied airspace, preventing planemakers like Boeing and Airbus from sending spare parts to Russia, and stopping countries like Turkey from refueling Russian planes. But, the illegal import schemes are not the only methods keeping Russia's airlines alive. Buying off seized jets using rainy-day moneyAn Aeroflot Boeing 777-300ER parked at the gate at Los Angeles International Airport before the war.

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Persons: It's, Vladimir Putin, Denis Kabelev, lessors, Fabrizio Gandolfo, —, Igor Chalik, Russia's NWF Organizations: Boeing, Airbus, Russia, Reuters, Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Aeroflot Boeing, Los Angeles International Airport, Getty, TASS, Wealth Fund, lessors . Leasing, Airlines, Ural Airlines, Aerotime, country's Ministry of Finance Locations: Russia, Ukraine, EU, Turkey, Iran, China, Russia's, Kremlin, lessors, Russian