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Database of the Russian Airlines that Flew to the Occupied Crimea in November 2017

Olha KORBUT
Expert of the monitoring group of the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies, BSNews and Maidan of Foreign Affairs

Translated by Tetyana PUCHKOVA

The monitoring group of the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies, BSNews and Maidan of Foreign Affairs has summed up the results of monitoring Russian airlines’ illegal flights to the occupied Crimea in November 2017.

Russia’s Aeroflot Airbus A320-214, registration #VQ-BSE. Photo: Max Grechnyov

In November of this year, 1424 flights went to and from the airport of Simferopol, which is a quarter less than over the same period in 2014, the first year of the occupation.

Last year the number was 1398. The largest number of November flights to and from the occupied Crimea took place in 2015, amounting to 2048, while 2014 saw the total 1894 to and from Simferopol.

The comparative chart below shows changes in the frequency of air travel during the occupation. Unsurprisingly, the peak number of flights fell on 2015. Moscow and St.Petersburg remain the most popular destinations, while there is also one daily flight to Sochi and Rostov and several flights a week to Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Tyumen.

Among the airlines that continue to carry out illegal flights to the occupied Crimea as of November 2017 are: Aeroflot, Rossiya, Ural Airlines, Globus, Yamal, UVT, Red Wings, Nordwind Airlines, NordAvia. Globus, the subsidiary company of S7 Group, uses aircrafts of S7 Airlines to perform regular flights to Simferopol.

The Dynamics of the Passenger Flights to and from
the Simferopol Airport in November 2014-2017

* * *

The BSNews and Maidan of Foreign Affairs monitoring group also regularly monitors the subsequent movement of aircrafts that illegally fly to the occupied Crimea, and can confirm that a number of them also provide passenger traffic to the European countries that have condemned the Russian annexation of Crimea. The database of those aircrafts is being continuously updated and expanded. The previous monitoring results can be found in the BSNews and the Maidan of Foreign Affairs monthly air traffic reviews.

The table below details the European flights by the Russian airlines that regularly fly to the Simferopol airport:

Aircraft # Model Flight # to/
from SIP
Airlines Flight to/
from SIP
Flight to EU/USA/
other countries

VQ-BOB

Airbus
A321-211

U6522

Ural Airlines

SIP-DME
4:26PM
25.10.2017

Moscow-Antalya(Turkey)
U63001 Landed 7:25AM
25.11.2017
Rimini(Italy)-Moscow
U6742 1:05PM
18.11.2017
Moscow-Rome(Italy)
U6831 Landed 10:53AM
8.11.2017
Tbilisi(Georgia)-Moscow
U62466 2:48PM
6.11.2017
Larnaca(Cyprus)-Moscow
U67034 10:00PM
4.11.2017

VQ-BVL

Boeing
737-8GJ

S7/GH262

S7 Airlines/
Globus

SIP-DME
11:22AM
5.11.2017

Moscow-Tivat(Montenegro)
S7925 Landed 2:44PM
25.11.2017
Moscow-Chisinau(Moldova)
S7157 Landed 12:25PM
18.11.2017
Moscow-Larnaca(Cyprus)
S7603 Landed 1:58PM
6.11.2017

RA-89025

Sukhoi Superjet
100-95B

SU2801

Aeroflot

SIP-AER
11:18AM
16.11.2017

Stockholm(Sweden)-Moscow
SU2697 10:51PM
30.11.2017
Riga(Latvia)-Moscow
SU2683 12:15PM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Tallinn(Estonia)
SU2114 Landed 7:56PM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Budapest(Hungary)
SU2468 Landed 10:07 PM
18.11.2017
Moscow-Oslo(Norway)
SU2534 Landed 9:50PM
16.11.2017

VP-BKX

Airbus
A320-214

SU1625

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
6:06PM
7.03.2017

SIP-SVO
11:38AM
16.11.2017

Moscow-Thessaloniki(Greece)
SU2124 Landed 2:02PM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Munich(Germany)
SU2328 Landed 3:58PM
25.11.2017
Moscow-Barcelona(Spain)
SU2514 Landed 3:58PM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Berlin(Germany)
SU2312 Landed 10:54AM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Frankfurt(Germany)
SU2302 Landed 4:17PM
22.11.2017
Warsaw(Poland)-Moscow
SU2007 10:04AM
22.11.2017
Moscow-Paris(France)
SU2458 Landed 4:46PM
21.11.2017
Moscow-Tallinn(Estonia)
SU2106 Landed 9:57AM
19.11.2017
Moscow-Milan(Italy)
SU2410 Landed 10:51AM
18.11.2017
Nice(France)-Moscow
SU2475 10:52PM
17.11.2017
Moscow-Bucharest(Romania)
SU2034 Landed 11:14AM
17.11.2017
Moscow-Rome(Italy)
SU2402 Landed 10:28AM
13.11.2017
Moscow-London(UK)
SU2574 Landed 9:29AM
10.11.2017
Moscow-Dusseldorf(Germany)
SU2154 Landed 3:45PM
8.11.2017
Moscow-Budapest(Hungary)
SU2032 Landed 9:06AM
7.11.2017

VP-BQK

Airbus
A319-111

SU/FV6892

SU/FV6898

Aeroflot / Rossiya

SIP-LED
1:29PM
16.11.2017

SIP-LED
7:07AM
1.10.2017

LED-Rome(Italy)
SU/FV6675 Landed 12:17PM
24.11.2017
LED-Milan(Italy)
SU/FV6673 Landed 12:03PM
19.11.2017
Vienna(Austria)-LED
SU/FV6604 11:20AM
18.11.2017
LED-Hamburg(Germany)
SU/FV6653 Landed 8:47PM
12.11.2017

VP-BOB

Boeing
737-8LJ

SU/FV6146

Rossiya

SIP-VKO
10:21PM
26.10.2017

Ufa-Pardubice(Czech Republic)
FV5691 Landed 8:40AM
29.11.2017
LED-Larnaca(Cyprus)
FV5703 Landed 10:28AM
25.11.2017
LED-Antalya(Turkey)
FV5863 Landed 7:41PM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Prague(Czech Republic)
FV5739 Landed 9:20AM
12.11.2017

VP-BMD

Boeing
737-8MC

SU1645

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
10:56AM
26.10.2017

Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2354 Landed 9:41PM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Zurich(Switzerland)
SU2390 Landed 11:37AM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Rome(Italy)
SU2418 Landed 11:41AM
25.11.2017
Copenhagen(Denmark)- Moscow
SU2497 11:48PM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Venice(Italy)
SU2422 Landed 9:53PM
14.11.2017
Moscow-Brussels(Belgium)
SU2618 Landed 10:23PM
12.11.2017
Moscow-Lisbon(Portugal)
SU2606 Landed 11:03PM
6.11.2017

VQ-BNI

Airbus
A320-214

U6522

Ural Airlines

SIP-DME
7:07PM
16.11.2017

Krasnodar-Larnaca(Cyrpus)
U67001 Landed 7:05PM
26.11.2017
Yekaterinburg-Prague(Czech Republic)
U6701 Landed 8:37AM
21.11.2017

VP-BYX

Boeing
737-8Q8

N4134

Nordwind Airlines

SIP-SVO
8:04PM
2.11.2017

Moscow-Antalya(Turkey)
N41805 Landed 10:57AM
10.11.2017

VQ-BQN

Airbus
A320-214

U62842

Ural Airlines

SIP-DME
9:12PM
2.11.2017

Sochi-Tbilisi(Georgia)
U62471 Landed 3:49PM
25.11.2017
Moscow-Larnaca(Cyprus)
U67029 Landed 1:15PM
22.11.2017

RA-89041

Sukhoi Superjet 100-95B

SU2801

Aeroflot

SIP-AER
9:47AM
28.06.2017

Moscow-Oslo(Norway)
SU2174 Landed 12:17PM
22.11.2017
Moscow-Helsinki(Finland)
SU2202 Landed 9:16AM
21.11.2017
Moscow-Budapest(Hungary)
SU2032 Landed 9:51PM
18.11.2017
Dresden(Germany)-Moscow
SU2345 2:30PM
3.11.2017

VP-BQD

Boeing
737-83N

S7/GH3328

S7 Airlines

SIP-OVB
2:43PM
31.10.2017

Moscow-Chisinau(Moldova)
S7157 Landed 12:24PM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Larnaca(Cyprus)
S7603 Landed 2:26PM
19.11.2017
Moscow-Pafos(Cyprus)
S7601 Landed 2:09PM
14.11.2017
Moscow-Verona(Italy)
S7697 Landed 12:21PM
11.11.2017
Moscow-Dusseldorf(Germany)
S7991 Landed 1:37PM
10.11.2017

VQ-BGI

Airbus
A320-232

U62932

Ural Airlines

SIP-SVX
9:45AM
17.10.2017

LED-Tbilisi(Georgia)
U62801 Landed 10:22AM
26.11.2017
Yekaterinburg-Prague(Czech Republic)
U6701 Landed 9:35AM
16.11.2017

VQ-BRV

Airbus
A320-214

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
11:34AM
10.11.2017

Moscow-Warsaw(Poland)
SU2002 Landed 6:53PM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Budapest(Hungary)
SU2030 Landed 11:59AM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Prague(Czech Republic)
SU2014 Landed 4:28PM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Dusseldorf(Germany)
SU2436 Landed 10:37PM
25.11.2017
Moscow-Berlin(Germany)
SU2684 Landed 9:00AM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Valencia(Spain)
SU2502 Landed 10:18AM
22.11.2017
Moscow-Oslo(Norway)
SU2174 Landed 12:01PM
21.11.2017
Moscow-Istanbul(Turkey)
SU2132 Landed 4:00PM
16.11.2017
Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2352 Landed 5:04PM
14.11.2017

VQ-BEH

Airbus
A320-214

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
11:49AM
9.11.2017

Moscow-Lyon(France)
SU2374 Landed 11:40AM
30.11.2017
Moscow-Riga(Latvia)
SU2102 Landed 7:09PM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Tallinn(Estonia)
SU2106 Landed 9:59AM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2356 Landed 3:11PM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Vilnius(Lithuania)
SU2104 Landed 9:26AM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Helsinki(Finland)
SU2206 Landed 11:19AM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Frankfurt(Germany)
SU2306 Landed 10:23AM
16.11.2017
Moscow-Barcelona(Spain)
SU2514 Landed 4:02PM
15.11.2017
Moscow-Milan(Italy)
SU2414 Landed 10:21PM
14.11.2017
Moscow-Munich(Germany)
SU2328 Landed 4:02PM
12.11.2017

VP-BTC

Airbus
A320-214

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
11:35AM
30.10.2017

Moscow-Berlin(Germany)
SU2684 Landed 9:00AM
30.11.2017
Moscow-Stockholm(Sweden)
SU2210 Landed 11:36AM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Tbilisi(Georgia)
SU1892 Landed 1:54AM
17.11.2017
Moscow-Copenhagen(Denmark)
SU2658 Landed 11:54AM
15.11.2017
Moscow-Istanbul(Turkey)
SU2130 Landed 1:14PM
11.11.2017
Moscow-Warsaw(Poland)
SU2002 Landed 6:51PM
6.11.2017

VQ-BAY

Airbus
A320-214

SU1631

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
8:25PM
12.11.2017

Moscow-Helsinki(Finland)
SU2206 Landed 11:25AM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Berlin(Germany)
SU2318 Landed 23:18
26.11.2017
Moscow-Nice(France)
SU2474 Landed 9:08PM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Zurich(Switzerland)
SU2392 Landed 8:51PM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Munich(Germany)
SU2328 Landed 3:57PM
19.11.2017
Moscow-Riga(Latvia)
SU2682 Landed 9:50AM
19.11.2017
Moscow-Paris(France)
SU2462 Landed 2:44PM
18.11.2017
Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2356 Landed 3:01PM
17.11.2017
Moscow-Vilnius(Lithuania)
SU2104 Landed 9:34AM
17.11.2017
Moscow-Warsaw(Poland)
SU2006 Landed 9:32AM
16.11.2017
Moscow-Tallinn(Estonia)
SU2106 Landed 10:18AM
13.11.2017

VP-BQU

Airbus
A320-214

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
11:45AM
2.11.2017

Moscow-Lyon(France)
SU2374 Landed 11:26AM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Zurich(Switzerland)
SU2392 Landed 9:18PM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Frankfurt(Germany)
SU2304 Landed 9:06PM
27.11.2017
Moscow-Rome(Italy)
SU2402 Landed 9:58AM
27.11.2017
Moscow-Munich(Germany)
SU2328 Landed 4:05PM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Riga(Latvia)
SU2682 Landed 9:57AM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2352 Landed 4:56PM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Helsinki(Finland)
SU2206 Landed 11:24AM
15.11.2017
Moscow-London(UK)
SU2574 Landed 9:32AM
3.11.2017

VP-BZQ

Airbus
A320-214

SU1637

Aeroflot

SIP-SVO
11:56AM
31.10.2017

Moscow-Paris(France)
SU2462 Landed 3:00PM
29.11.2017
Moscow-Frankfurt(Germany)
SU2304 Landed 9:50PM
28.11.2017
Moscow-Helsinki(Finland)
SU2200 Landed 8:15PM
26.11.2017
Moscow-Oslo(Norway)
SU2174 Landed 11:51AM
25.11.2017
Moscow-Rome(Italy)
SU2402 Landed 9:47AM
24.11.2017
Moscow-Prague(Czech Republic)
SU2024 Landed 5:26PM
23.11.2017
Moscow-Riga(Latvia)
SU2102 Landed 7:13PM
20.11.2017
Moscow-Munich(Germany)
SU2594 Landed 9:24PM
18.11.2017
Moscow-Barcelona(Spain)
SU2514 Landed 3:56PM
16.11.2017
Moscow-Bucharest(Romania)
SU2034 Landed 12:05PM
14.11.2017
Moscow-Vienna(Austria)
SU2356 Landed 3:17PM
12.11.2017


Note:

In December 2014 the administration of the US President Barack Obama has adopted a number of decisions regarding the sanctions for any action in the occupied Crimea.

In April of the same year, in accordance with the ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation, the Eurocontrol (the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation), banned the European airlines from flying to the Russia-occupied Crimea and Sevastopol. [1].

Ukraine officially accused [2] Russia of violation of the international multilateral and bilateral agreements and the provisions of the European Air Navigation Plan, as well as in ignoring the established borders of the Flight Information Regions (FIR) [3].

The Air Navigation Services in the sky over the Crimean Peninsula belong to the jurisdiction to Ukraine that due to the Russian annexation of the Crimean AR had to move the dispatch center from Simferopol to Kyiv and Odessa.

However, due to the inability of the State Avia Service to guarantee security of the Ukraine flights over the occupied territories, in March 2014, it was decided to close the airports in Simferopol and Belbek and the lower airspace and to restrict traffic in Simferopol flight information region.

At the same time, Ukraine continues to service the Black Sea FIR within its competence.

In April 2014, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) called Russia's actions to seize control of the airspace above Crimea and the Black Sea waters that belong to the Ukrainian FIR, illegal [4].

[1] The ban of the flights to the occupied Crimea for European airlines: http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/198796.html

[2] Announcement of the SE "UkrAeroRukh" of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine: http://uksatse.ua/index.php?act=Part&CODE=247&id=264

[3] The FIR (Flight Information Region) is a specified region of airspace in which a flight information service and an alerting service are provided

[4] The publication in the online edition of the Tyzhden magazine from 16.04.2014 http://tyzhden.ua/News/107719

For two and a half years, the BSNews and Maidan of Foreign Affairs monitoring group conducts daily monitoring of the illegal flights to the occupied Crimea followed by the media publications of the results of the investigation on the airlines-offenders.

* * *

For the last two and a half years, the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies, BSNews and Maidan of Foreign Affairs monitoring group has been conducting daily monitoring of the illegal flights to the occupied Crimea with further publications in the media on the airlines offenders.

* * *

The monitoring of the violations of the international sanctions against Russia and the legal regime of the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea is supported by the European Program Initiative of the Renaissance International Foundation. The position of Renaissance International Foundation may not reflect the opinion of the authors.