DISINFO: Ukraine is not able to repair and modernise its aircraft without Russia, it is a safety risk
SUMMARY
Ukraine has serious problems with the repair and modernisation of the Soviet MiG-29 fighters because of the sanctions imposed against Russia. The Lviv Aircraft Repair Plant reported that it lost the opportunity to acquire Russian spare parts for the fighter-planes, which is why it did not fulfil the contract for updating the aircraft. Experts note that the attempts of Ukrainian specialists to independently modernise the MiG-29 can make the operation of the machine unsafe.
RESPONSE
No evidence given for a safety risk. There are no such words about anti-Russian sanctions in the statement RT.com referred to. The Lviv State Aviation Repair Plant was accused of failing to fulfil the contract to repair two aircraft in time. In the press release it was mentioned that the plant is going to file an appeal to the court decision, as the company was forced to adhere to the norms of the law, that is: “to modernise the aircraft in the absence of spare parts, since the result of the above decision of the National Security and Defence Council created restrictions in purchasing them”. But there is no mention that the contract was not fulfil at the time due to the lack of details from Russia. The website of the Lviv State Aviation Repair Plant, which is engaged in repair and modernisation of aircraft, including the MiG-29, notes that “we are separately proud of the promptly implemented import substitution program. It is about manufacturing parts that were previously supplied from manufacturers in the Russian Federation”. Also in April 2019, the plant noted that the technological capabilities for the restoration of military aviation were expanded.
Because of the refusal to use Russian spare parts, Ukrainian plants have to find other channels to get these details. Because of this, repair and modernisation may take longer time than usual.
At the same time, Ukrainian sanctions in the defence sphere have had consequences for Russia, since the Russian military-industrial complex depends on Ukrainian enterprises in the rocket-space, aviation and shipbuilding industries. Many parts for the Russian technology were manufactured in Ukrainian factories. A Radio Liberty investigation names a number of components that Russia has lost because of sanctions. Read similar disinformation cases portraying the Ukrainian industry as failing and Ukraine as economically dependent on Russia.