Moscow, Feb 7 (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for the upgrade and modernization of the Russian civil aircraft industry to manufacture globally competitive airplanes amid Western sanctions.
“I would like to stress once again, Russian aircraft must conform to all quality, comfort and safety requirements, be indeed globally competitive as regards their performance characteristics,” Putin said during a Cabinet meeting.
The Russian president stressed that the delivery of airplanes to airlines “should” be within the agreed time frame and without setbacks and delays, the official TASS news agency reported.
Putin underscored the need for particular attention to be given to the nation’s civil aviation industry.
“Only a few countries in the world are capable of manufacturing… modern airplanes. And Russia is among them,” he said.
The Russian leader highlighted the necessity for effective and collaborative efforts by the government, aircraft manufacturers, and financial institutions to accomplish this “challenging” task.
“These airplanes are in need for the aviation sector, required by our citizens, and required by the economy,” he said.
The call for modern aircraft comes amid an increase in incidents involving Russian commercial aircraft, which have forced some planes to return to their departure airports or make emergency landings elsewhere.
Experts attribute the situation to the shortage and sluggish replacement of expired Western spare parts, as Russia currently faces challenges in replenishing parts throughout its civil aircraft fleet due to the ongoing Western sanctions. EFE
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