In Russia, the Number of Aviation Incidents and Deaths in Regional Aviation Has Sharply Increased
In the Russian Federation, there has been a significant increase in the number of aviation incidents, as well as a rise in casualties among passengers and crew during aircraft operations. Experts emphasize that the main factors contributing to this negative trend are not only the aging fleet but also the increasing age of pilots.
This is reported by AgroReview
Aviation Incidents in Russia: Statistics and Causes
According to official data from the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya), last year the number of aviation incidents rose to 17 cases, nearly double the figure for 2023 (8 incidents). At the same time, the number of fatalities during these incidents increased from 12 to 37 people.
Since the beginning of 2025, four aviation incidents have already been recorded in Russia, including two accidents and two disasters, resulting in the deaths of 53 people.
In Russia, this trend is explained by “violations of aviation legislation committed by commercial airlines.”
It is noted that airlines often fail to comply with established maintenance requirements for aircraft, and their personnel do not receive adequate training. As a result, the Russian authorities have initiated inspections of 51 regional airlines, including “Azimuth,” “Alrosa,” “Aurora,” “Izhavia,” and “IrAero.”
Aging Fleet and Shortage of Young Personnel
According to experts, the sharp increase in accident rates is linked to the cessation of operations of Western aircraft due to sanctions. Regional transportation now predominantly relies on outdated Soviet-era aircraft such as the An-2, An-24, and helicopters like the Mi-8.
Andrei Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia, noted that problems in the industry were observed even before the sanctions, but they have only intensified now.
Additionally, the situation is complicated by the aging workforce: young specialists are reluctant to work on 50-year-old aircraft, while experienced pilots are gradually leaving the industry. Meanwhile, Russia does not produce spare parts for Soviet aircraft that have long been out of production, and repairs are often carried out using parts from stockpiles or decommissioned aircraft.