With the move, Aeroflot complies with an order from the Russian aviation authorities. He called on airlines that have leased aircraft from Western companies to no longer fly outside the national borders. This prevents those aircraft from being seized.
Return
European Union sanctions require those aircraft to be returned to the leasing companies by March 28 at the latest. For those leasing companies, the chance that they will see their hundreds of Boeing and Airbus aircraft worth billions of euros again is becoming less and less.
For Russia, the decision also means that the country will become further cut off from the outside world. Russian planes were no longer welcome in the European Union because of the war started by Russia in Ukraine. Russian airlines were still able to fly to other countries such as China and Turkey. However, that option is now closed.