The lifting of US sanctions on the Belarusian airline Belavia could become a new channel of support for Russian aviation. This would allow not only the repair of its own fleet of Boeing and Embraer aircraft but also the partial supply of spare parts to Russia, which has been suffering from a component shortage for several years, military expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi explains, according to Ukrainske Radio. 

At the same time, there is still no official information on the lifting of sanctions, despite reports in Belarusian media; no such decisions have been published on the US Treasury website.

US sanctions: risks for aviation safety

If restrictions were fully lifted, Belarus would be able to actively acquire spare parts for its six Boeing aircraft and supply some components to Russian carriers.

“The key issue here is not so much the legal aspect as the importance of access to spare parts,” emphasized Khrapchynskyi.

Russia and Belarus searching for donor aircraft

“At this stage, Russia and Belarus are forced to buy broken aircraft all over the world in order to use them as donors. Even in Russian legislation, they tried to include the possibility of purchasing non-original spare parts for aircraft,” the expert noted.

According to him, it is also important to understand whether the potential lifting of sanctions will affect not only Belavia but also its maintenance company, Belavia Technics, which could obtain a certificate to service aircraft.

European restrictions and possible loopholes for Russia

Despite a potential US decision, European sanctions remain in force. They prohibit Belavia from flying to Europe and from servicing Western Boeing aircraft.

“If the sanctions are lifted, where will Belavia actually be able to fly? If this is only about spare parts, won’t it simply become a gateway for the Russian fleet to acquire components? And how will the world react to this — will it turn a blind eye, or will someone monitor it?” Khrapchynskyi said.

He added that a possible partial lifting of sanctions could include restrictions: spare parts would be issued only for Belavia’s six aircraft to prevent mass deliveries to Russia.

A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet went down in Zaporizhzhia Oblast during a combat mission on 11 September. The pilot, Major Oleksandr Borovyk, was killed in the incident. The cause of the crash remains unclear.

Su-27 fighter crashes during mission

The Ukrainian Air Force’s 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade reported that around 13:30, a Su-27 jet under the control of 30-year-old Major Oleksandr Mykolaiovych Borovyk crashed under unknown circumstances. The aircraft was performing a combat task in the Zaporizhzhia direction — southern Ukraine — when contact was lost.

Jet involved in strikes on Russian air defenses

According to Ukrainian military news outlet Militarnyi, Su-27 fighters of the 39th Brigade have been used actively during the Russian invasion of Ukraine for missions targeting Russian air defense systems with anti-radiation missiles. They also serve as carriers of precision-guided aerial bombs, including JDAM, AASM, and GBU-39.

The aircraft are also engaged in Ukraine’s air defense, intercepting Russian missile and drone attacks deep inside the country.

Second Su-27 loss for Ukraine this year

This marks the second Ukrainian Su-27 loss in 2025. In April, another fighter jet crashed while repelling an attack by Russian strike drones. That pilot survived after successfully ejecting.

Ukraine may have replenished its fleet of MiG-29 fighters with aircraft from Azerbaijan, The War Zone reports. A photo appeared on social media showing a single-seat Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 with a camouflage pattern characteristic of Azerbaijani jets.

“The date and location of the photo are unknown, but the jet appears to be on a combat mission, with a full armament…While it remains possible that the photo has been manipulated, there is presently nothing to indicate that it’s not genuine,” the report says. 

Azerbaijani aircraft in Ukraine

Back in the summer of 2022, another photo appeared on Twitter showing three Azerbaijani MiG-29s undergoing repairs in Lviv. After the start of the all-out war, they remained in Ukraine and likely entered service with the Air Force.

“It seems the aircraft (or at least one of them) survived the March 2022 Russian attack on the Lviv State Aviation Repair Plant, which we reported on at the time,” the report says.

The plant was a key facility for overhauling MiG-29s not only for Ukraine but also for foreign clients, including Azerbaijan.

Traces of Baku’s support

There are also suggestions that Azerbaijan may have provided Ukraine with other “unofficial” assistance — precision bombs, mortars, and fuel. Azerbaijan’s MiG-29 fleet itself originally came from Ukraine: in 2007, the country acquired about 15 aircraft after major overhaul and modernization.

“Between 2015 and 2017, Azerbaijani MiG-29s took part in joint exercises with the Turkish Air Force, representing one of its closest military allies, and, starting in 2017, Fulcrum overhauls were conducted in Lviv,” the journalists recall. 

The coincidence of the evidence emerging now, alongside rising tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia, only adds intrigue. 

Analysts at Defense Express have spotted a MiG-29 fighter jet armed with a domestic analogue of the Russian UMPK kit, a guided bomb, or a so-called KAB. This indicates the start of wider adaptation of this weapon on a more mass-produced aircraft.

The UMPK kit turns a standard unguided bomb into a precision-guided munition with an extended range.

“At least 100 per day are needed” 

“The enemy drops 120–150 aerial bombs daily. We, at best, have up to 10 per day. And we need to reach at least 100 per day. Once we finally get enough aerial bombs, the situation at the front can change drastically,” revealed military expert Pavlo Narozhny on Radio NV. 

He emphasized that the Ukrainian development does not compete with the French high-precision HAMMERs, which are much more advanced and have a range of over 200 km. Instead, the Ukrainian KABs can be compared to American JDAMs or GBUs, which glide under the influence of gravity.

Cheap, mass-produced, and with great potential

According to Narozhny, the cost of one Ukrainian KAB could be $25,000. An American JDAM costs around $20,000–22,000.

“We have huge stockpiles of these aerial bombs – high-explosive, cluster, various types. We can use them in massive quantities,” the expert explained.

He also noted that installing a jet engine is a completely realistic next step. This would make the Ukrainian munition technologically closer to Western models and provide additional range.

[L'article Vols annulés: Air Canada remboursera l’hébergement et les restaurants  a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

[L'article La grève est terminée, mais les vols d’Air Canada resteront perturbés jusqu’à la semaine prochaine  a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

[L'article Fin de la grève à Air Canada a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

[L'article Grève chez Air Canada: vers une reprise des vols en fin de journée?  a d'abord été publié dans InfoBref.]

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia's former Transport Minister Roman Starovoit shot himself dead in Odintsovo following his dismissal by President Vladimir Putin on July 7, the pro-government newspaper Izvestia reported, citing unnamed sources.

Starovoit's ouster came after nearly 500 flights were grounded at major Russian airports on July 5–6 due to security threats from Ukrainian drone attacks.

The following day, an explosion aboard the Eco Wizard tanker at the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast triggered an ammonia leak, adding to the crisis engulfing Russia's transportation sector.

Starovoit, sanctioned by Ukraine and Western countries for his role in the war against Ukraine, had served as governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast before being appointed transport minister in May 2024.

According to Russian media, Starovoit's body was found near Moscow. Preliminary findings suggest that the suicide may be linked to a possible criminal case.

Media outlets report that the former minister shot himself using an honorary firearm he had received from the Interior Ministry in 2023.

According to media reports, former Kursk Oblast official Aleksei Smirnov, who had previously served as Starovoit's deputy, had provided testimony implicating Starovoit. Smirnov himself was arrested earlier on suspicion of embezzling 1 billion rubles (over $12 million) during the construction of defensive structures in the border region.

An investigation into the large-scale theft of state funds in Kursk Oblast is currently underway, with several of Starovoit's former deputies remaining under suspicion, including Smirnov, who briefly served as acting governor.

State-controlled RIA Novosti, citing Russia's Investigative Committee, reported that Starovoit's body was discovered inside his private vehicle with a gunshot wound. Investigative teams from Russia's Main Investigative Directorate are reportedly working at the scene to determine the exact circumstances. The primary theory under consideration is suicide.

The timing of the death remains unclear. Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, confirmed the death to RTVI, stating only that it occurred "quite some time ago," without elaborating further.

Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elite’s ‘window falls’

The unexplained death of a top Russian oil executive on July 4 is fueling renewed scrutiny over the rising number of high-profile Russian officials and businessmen who have died under mysterious circumstances, specifically, have fallen out of windows. Andrei Badalov, vice president of Transneft, Russia’s largest state-controlled pipeline transport company,

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Transport Minister Roman Starovoit on July 7, following a series of high-profile disruptions to Russia's aviation and shipping sectors.

The official decree was published on Russia's legal information portal. No reason was given, but Starovoit's departure comes after nearly 300 flights were grounded at major Russian airports on July 5–6 due to security threats from Ukrainian drone attacks.

Adding to the turmoil, an explosion aboard the Eco Wizard tanker at the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast caused an ammonia leak on July 6, prompting an emergency response.

Starovoit, sanctioned by Ukraine and Western countries for his role in the war against Ukraine, had served as governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast before being appointed transport minister in May 2024.

According to the Russian state-controlled newspaper Vedomosti, Deputy Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin, a former Novgorod Oblast governor, is a leading candidate to replace Starovoit.

On July 6, the Russian Federal Aviation Agency confirmed that 287 flights were delayed or canceled at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, and Nizhny Novgorod's Strigino Airport due to safety concerns from drone activity.

Kyiv's drone campaign, which has increasingly disrupted civilian air travel in Russia, is part of Ukraine's broader strategy to undermine Russia's logistics far beyond the front line.

Russian authorities said the ammonia leak at Ust-Luga was "minor," but the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel, Baza, reported that an unexplained explosion preceded the incident.

The Eco Wizard tanker is believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" — a network of vessels used to bypass international sanctions on Russian oil and chemical exports. Five tankers have been damaged by explosions at Russian ports since the start of 2025.

The Kremlin has not made a formal statement on the minister's dismissal.

Death of top Russian oil executive fuels fresh scrutiny of elite’s ‘window falls’

The unexplained death of a top Russian oil executive on July 4 is fueling renewed scrutiny over the rising number of high-profile Russian officials and businessmen who have died under mysterious circumstances, specifically, have fallen out of windows. Andrei Badalov, vice president of Transneft, Russia’s largest state-controlled pipeline transport company,

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Russia has redeployed dozens of long-range bombers to more remote bases within the country, Russian independent media outlet Agentstvo reported on June 11, citing OSINT analyst AviVector.

The relocation comes in the wake of Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, the unprecedented mass drone strike on June 1 that targeted four Russian air bases deep inside the country.  

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said 117 drones were launched from hidden positions across Russia, damaging 41 aircraft, including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers.

According to Agentstvo, all Tu-160 bombers have been evacuated from Belaya airfield in Irkutsk Oblast and Olenya airfield in Murmansk Oblast. Some were relocated to Anadyr in Chukotka, Yelizovo in Kamchatka, and Borisoglebskoye in Tatarstan.

Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS bombers were also redeployed. Eleven Tu-22M3s and all Tu-95MS aircraft near Murmansk reportedly relocated to the Ukrainka airfield in Amur Oblast, Engels-2 in Saratov Oblast, Borisoglebskoye in Tatarstan, and Mozdok in North Ossetia.

The reported relocation of bombers is the latest sign that Ukraine's drone warfare is forcing the Kremlin to rethink its strategic posture, even far from the front lines.

Western analysts and military officials praised Ukraine's ingenuity in the Spiderweb operation. NATO Admiral Pierre Vandier called the mission a modern reinvention of the "Trojan Horse," demonstrating Ukraine's growing technical sophistication and deep-strike capability.

President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that roughly half of the targeted aircraft are damaged beyond repair. Russia has acknowledged losses but insisted all damaged aircraft will be restored.