United States extends export restrictions against Biełavija

December 7, Pozirk. The US Department of Commerce has extended export restrictions against the Belarusian airline Biełavija (Belavia) for 180 days, according to the department’s website. The decision comes into effect today.

In March 2022, shortly after Russia launched an all-out war against Urkaine, the USA imposed sanctions on Biełavija related to the export of aviation products and the licensing of certain aircraft and spare parts.

These restrictions have been extended every six months since June 2022.

In May 2021, Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair passenger plane en route from Athens to Vilnius to land at Minsk airport. The plane carried opposition blogger Raman Pratasievič and his girlfriend Sofiya Sapega, a Russian national. Both were arrested and imprisoned, but later exonerated.

The state-owned Biełavija was banned from flying to the European Union after the incident.

In August 2023, the United States added it to its sanctions lists.

Biełavija CEO Ihar Čarhiniec later said that Western sanctions had thwarted a plan to replace the company’s fleet.

Biełavija’s 13 aircraft are on average 11.2 years old.