Summary

  • Russian businessman Zarakh Iliev acquired an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) despite export sanctions.
  • Iliev bought the ACJ through shell companies, initially registered in Malta, then in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan.
  • The ACJ320neo has upgraded specifications, including extended range, lower cabin altitude, and quieter engines.

On Wednesday, June 26, it was revealed that a Russian businessman had acquired an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ), according to The Moscow Times. The acquisition of the new aircraft is despite strict sanctions that restricted the export of foreign aircraft into Russia, which were placed on the country by the United States and the EU after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

New ACJ ownership

The new aircraft is reportedly now owned by Zarakh Iliev. The Russian man is listed as a property developer and an owner of Kievskaya Ploshchad. This company owns property across the world and is the largest Russian company that owns commercial property. Some of the company’s assets include Sadovod market and the Olympic Stadium. Iliev’s ownership of Kievskaya Ploshchad has propelled him to a net worth of nearly $3.3 billion, according to Forbes, which makes him one of the wealthiest people in Russia.

Iliev reportedly used several shell businesses to purchase the new aircraft. Due to sanctions from the US and the EU, Iliev could not outright purchase the ACJ from Airbus, as the aircraft is banned for exporting into Russia.

Arrival of Acropolis Aviation ACJ320neo   Dubai Airshow 2021

Photo: Airbus

According to The Moscow Times, the ACJ was initially rolled out of the factory in 2019, and it was registered as serial 8774. At this time, it was registered to a company called Sorens Aero, which is based in Malta. It was then transported to Basel, Switzerland, from the factory in Hamburg, Germany, where it spent a year getting a new VIP interior installed. However, in 2022, after the aircraft had its interior installed, the ownership changed from Sorens Aero to ASG Business Aviation, which is based in Azerbaijan. Then, on June 4, the aircraft was again re-registered, this time to a company in Tajikistan. Just ten days later, the company was finally registered in Russia, as RA-73889. The aircraft is registered to a company called North-West Aircompany, which is a passenger charter company based in St. Petersburg, Russia, according to The Moscow Times.

The Airbus Corporate Jet in question

The ACJ Iliev now allegedly owns is an Airbus A320neo ACJ conversion. As previously mentioned, the business jet in question is registered in Russia as RA-73889. Currently, this aircraft is located in Moscow, at Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME), per FlightRadar24. This aircraft was first built in 2019.

Airbus ACJ320neo Comlux

Photo: Airbus

The ACJ320neo is an upgraded variant of the commercial airliner, the A320neo. Airbus added additional tanks in the belly of the aircraft to extend the aircraft’s range. Overall, the ACJ320neo has the following specifications:

Length

123 feet three inches

Height

38 feet seven inches

Wingspan

117 feet five inches

Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)

174,200 pounds

Maximum speed

Mach 0.82 (629 miles per hour)

Range

6,000 nautical miles (6,904 miles)

Service ceiling

41,000 feet

Airbus made other upgrades to the interior of the aircraft as well. The ACJ320neo has a lower cabin altitude of just 6,400 feet and upgraded engines to lower the engine noise within the cabin. The ACJ320neo has a maximum capacity of 25 passengers, depending on the configuration. These business jets are typically valued between $110 million and $120 million.

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