[In January], Russia’s Izvestia news outlet reported that Russia plans to reactivate retired Soviet-design aircraft in 2026. These include Tu-204-214s, an An-148, Il-96s, and more Boeing 747-400s.

[...]

In total, Russia has been refurbishing 12 retired airliners, including nine Tu-204-214s, one An-148, and two Il-96s. These aircraft are up to 30 years old, and work has been ongoing since 2022.

[...]

The two widebody, quad-engined Ilyushin Il-96s are particularly interesting. Cuba’s Cubana de Aviación is the only airline to use them in commercial passenger service. In Russia, they are exclusively used by the Russian government and for cargo transportation.

Russia is also rushing to Rusify the production of its commercial aircraft. While progress is being made, none have been delivered by the end of 2025, and only two flagship Yakovlev MC-21 airliners are expected to be delivered in 2026.

[...]

In 2025, Russia saw a slight decline in passenger traffic, according to Izvestia. It seems more than a ‘slight decline’ with Kommersant reporting it is, “a 20% year-on-year decline in passenger traffic for Russian airlines.”

This was attributed to a reduction in Russia’s fleet size. By 2030, 230 Russian-made and 109 foreign-made aircraft are expected to retire across Russia.

Currently, Russian airlines are operating 100% of their serviceable fleet. However, the aircraft are being decommissioned at a rate of 2-3% annually with no new replacements since 2022. This means that foreign carriers are taking more and more of the long-haul Russian tourist market.