The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice has turned to the country’s Supreme Anti-Corruption Court to seek the seizure of two Russian passenger aircraft owned by the leasing company OJSC Ilyushin Finance Co. The move, confirmed by the ministry’s press service, signals Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to pursue state revenue through asset recovery in the face of ongoing tensions with Moscow.
The ministry stated that the request to impose sanctions in the form of asset recovery is aimed at recovering assets for the benefit of the state. The action targets two An-148-100E medium-range passenger planes, identified as the subject of the recovery effort, and is part of a broader strategy to address financial losses linked to sanctioned Russian entities in Ukraine’s aviation sector.
Earlier in the proceedings, the Ukrainian higher anti-corruption court had already approved sanctions that involved asset recovery valued at more than $4 million from the Aviation Complex named after SV Ilyushin, a Russian enterprise linked to the same aviation group. The court’s decisions reflect a sustained legal framework used by Kyiv to address what it describes as losses connected to Russian state-controlled enterprises in the aviation landscape.
The matter also intersects with remarks from the Kremlin’s spokesperson, who warned that Russia would not stand by while its assets are seized. The line from Moscow underscores the broader political dimension of the case, where legal actions taken in Ukraine are perceived as part of wider consequences in the ongoing bilateral confrontation. The statements emphasize a expectation that asset-related sanctions will be met with a firm response on the Russian side, highlighting the charged environment surrounding cross-border asset enforcement and aviation assets under sanction.
Analysts note that asset recovery in this context serves multiple aims: it strengthens the state’s ability to reclaim value lost through foreign-linked business operations, it reinforces the sovereignty narrative around critical assets, and it sets a precedent for future cases involving aircraft and other assets held by sanctioned entities. The process, managed by Ukraine’s top anti-corruption court, demonstrates how legal mechanisms can be employed to redirect revenue toward public needs while navigating the complexities of international asset ownership, leasing arrangements, and cross-border enforcement. Observers also point out that such cases require meticulous documentation, clear ownership chains, and robust compliance with both domestic law and applicable international frameworks, ensuring that asset recovery actions are defensible in court and resilient against challenges from parties with vested interests in the aircraft and their financial arrangements.
As this dispute unfolds, stakeholders in Ukraine’s aviation ecosystem watch closely how the courts interpret the scope of asset recovery and the extent to which the state can leverage court-sanctioned seizures to bolster public revenue. The evolving case also raises questions about the longer-term impact on leasing markets, international aviation partnerships, and the willingness of counterparties to engage in transactions that involve assets tied to entities under sanctions. In the broader regional context, the developments illustrate how legal instruments are being used to reallocate assets in a way that aligns with national policy objectives while balancing the interests of global aviation stakeholders and the dynamics of sanctions regimes.