Russia has asked Vietnam to consider supplying wet-leased aircraft for Russian airlines, with crews, maintenance and insurance included, as Moscow looks for extra capacity under sanctions pressure and fleet shortages. Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin disclosed the proposal after Russian-Vietnamese talks in Moscow, but no agreement has been signed and the Vietnamese side is still reviewing the request.
The arrangement would give Russian carriers a quicker way to add aircraft than waiting for deliveries, particularly on routes linked to Vietnam and potentially beyond. Wet leasing allows an airline to take aircraft together with operational support, which can help cover immediate capacity gaps.
Russian authorities have already widened wet-lease rules, but previous reporting indicated that no foreign wet-lease deal for Russian carriers had been confirmed. The proposal also carries sanctions risk for any Vietnamese airline involved, particularly if European regulators view the arrangement as support for Russian aviation.