Latvian carrier airBaltic has denied accusations of violating European Union sanctions by purchasing Russian jet fuel. Russian media outlet Verstka claimed that the airline had conducted illegal business with two sanctioned fuel providers. airBaltic said it had stopped trading with the Russian companies and that it “distances itself from any unfound claims”.
Verstka’s claims
The carrier was accused of allegedly attempting 28 kerosene purchases between February 2022 and March 2024. The report cited Russian custom declarations. The media outlet said airBaltic finalised 13 fuel transactions. Two with Gazpromneft-Aero in 2022, and eleven with Tatneftaeroservice in 2023.
Another fifteen purchases were labelled as “cancelled”, eleven of these allegedly being in 2022, one in 2023, and three in 2024. Russian custom declarations display 3,100 tonnes of fuel purchased by airBaltic for 206.7 million rubles (£1.8m). It remains unclear how the fuel could have reached airBaltic’s aircraft, although reports say it was exported via Russia to other countries.
airBaltic’s defence
An airBaltic spokesperson said it had not worked with Russian fuel suppliers since the enforcement of EU sanctions and enforcement of EU sanctions, outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The carrier recently revealed they are soon reopening flights into Ukraine.
The airline noted their last payments made to Gazpromneft-Aero were in March and April 2022 for services provided in Lisbon of the same time. This was before EU sanctions were enforced. It also stated their last payment to Tatneftaeroservice was made in November 2021 for advance fuel purchase in Kazan. airBaltic said that ‘the aforementioned [customs] database does not provide complete and verifiable information about the company’s transactions.’
Do you think the claims are verifiable? Let us know your thoughts in the comments
There must be a reason why AirBaltic is being accused of purchasing the sanctioned fuel. I wonder what it is. Why would AirBaltic do such a thing?