Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that will allow for foreign planes to be seized and used domestically as tensions grow between Russia and the international community over its invasion of Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing TASS state news agency.
Foreign aircraft companies that previously rented to Russia and have since stopped doing business with the country due to sanctions could see their aircraft taken by Moscow and operated within the country under the new law, according to TASS, the newspaper reported.
But high levels of maintenance are required for passenger jets, and plane support and maintenance have been blocked under the sanctions, meaning that the new law will only have some impact, the Journal noted.
But the move signals growing tensions between Russia and the international community, which has sought to further economically isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, the U.S. announced that it would be blocking Russian imports of oil, natural gas and coal. President Biden also announced that the U.S. other Group of Seven (G-7) nations would be revoking Russia’s preferential trade status.
A slew of businesses around the world has also said that they would be stopping or halting business in Russia over the conflict, which has been widely condemned.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly pushed for have loopholes addressed on existing sanctions, the international waterways to be restricted against Russian access and for more sanctions against Russian officials during a call with Biden.
