AirBaltic Accused of Purchasing Russian Fuel Despite EU Sanctions
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AirBaltic has been accused of purchasing Russian aviation fuel even after the second invasion of Ukraine, allegedly violating European Union sanctions imposed on the aviation sector.
With headquarters in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, airBaltic is the leading airline in the Baltic region—a region that shares extensive borders with Russia and has had a historically tense relationship with Moscow due to Soviet influence and territorial disputes.
Allegations of Fuel Transactions with Russian Supplier
After Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the EU implemented strict sanctions on Russian aviation, including bans on:
✔ Russian airlines flying over EU airspace
✔ Leasing Western aircraft to Russian operators
✔ European airlines purchasing Russian fuel
While all NATO and EU countries have adhered to these restrictions, airBaltic has been accused of purchasing large quantities of aviation fuel in 2022 and 2023 for its commercial operations.
The alleged transactions were reportedly conducted with Tatneftaviaservis, a fuel supplier based in Tatarstan, Russia. According to Russian media outlet Verstka, deliveries continued until March 2024.
Evidence from Russian Customs and Tax Records
According to Verstka, the accusations stem from Russia’s customs and tax database, which records at least 28 invoices issued to airBaltic between February 2022 and March 2024. Of these, 15 were canceled, while 13 were processed normally.
The publication, however, did not present documentary or photographic proof of the alleged transactions, as reported by AEROIN, a partner news outlet.
Unanswered Questions and Missing Details
Verstka claims that 2,000 tons of fuel were delivered over 25 months to supply international flights. However, several crucial details remain unclear, including:
- Exact dates of the alleged shipments
- Method of transportation
- Airports where the fuel was delivered
Notably, one alleged transaction involved air transport, a highly unusual and impractical method due to strict international regulations on fuel transportation. Typically, only military tanker aircraft conduct such operations, primarily for NATO missions—and these aircraft cannot land in Russia to pick up fuel for foreign airlines.
Verstka reached out to airBaltic for clarification on how the payments were processed, but the airline did not provide further details. Additionally, some fields in the Russian records were reportedly left blank, which an anonymous source suggested might indicate an attempt to conceal information.
Potential Fuel Supply via Third Countries
AirBaltic primarily operates within NATO and EU countries, making it difficult to purchase Russian fuel directly. However, the airline does fly to non-EU destinations, where Russian fuel could have been acquired indirectly, including:
- Egypt
- United Arab Emirates
- Georgia
- Morocco
- Moldova
AirBaltic’s Official Response
In an official statement, airBaltic denied all allegations, stating:
“AirBaltic does not make fuel payments to Russian companies. Additionally, airBaltic does not cooperate with or maintain contractual relationships with Russian fuel suppliers. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the implementation of EU import sanctions, airBaltic has not engaged in any cooperation with Russian fuel providers.”
The allegations were reported exclusively in Russian media and coincidentally emerged just as airBaltic published its financial results for Q4 and full-year 2024.
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