Russia's MC-21 Proves Failure of Sanctions

By Rhod Mackenzie

The Russian MC-21,is in the category most popular type of airliner in the world a single aisle medium range aircraft, and it has become a symbol of Russia's ability to overcome the vast number of sanctions imposed on it by the US and its allies. Now Rostec has confirmed that the project is not only now full active, but is on track to take on Boeing in the future. Despite the significant pressure, Russia has successfully replaced approximately 80 Western systems and units that were previous used with the first all Russian MC-21s scheduled to enter airline service as early as the middle of 2026. This was announcement was certainly not anticipated by many in the West.
"The MS-21 has become a symbol of successfully overcoming the pressure of sanctions. Despite the departure of foreign partners with whom the aircraft was initially developed, the project remains active and is set to take on Boeing," said Rostec Executive Director Oleg Yevtushenko.

The MS-21 is the in the category of the world's most popular type of medium-haul airliner. The aircraft completed its maiden flight on back 28 May 2017. Initially, the aircraft incorporated a large number of imported units and systems. However, due to sanctions, adjustments had to be made to the project, but it was not frozen. In the spring of 2025, a prototype of the import-substituting MS-21 began factory finishing tests, Rostec notes.

As part of the import substitution programme, the composite wing and engines were replaced, with a total of approximately 80 systems and units being substituted.
According to Yevtushenko, certification tests of the MS-21 are scheduled to begin in Zhukovsky near Moscow in the near future. The first deliveries of the aircraft to airlines are planned to begin in 2026, Yevtushenko added.

When the decision was made to begin designing the MS-21 more than ten years ago, no one could have anticipated the severe sanctions that the Russian aviation industry would subsequently face. At that time, collaboration with Western, American, European and other manufacturers of aircraft units and components was commonplace.

"The production of aviation equipment is a complex technological process. The production of an aircraft necessitates the use of thousands of components, making it challenging to set up production in a single country.

Civil aircraft are produced by only a few companies in the world. Full-cycle production in aircraft manufacturing is an uncommon occurrence, even within the Soviet Union. It is a misconception and a myth, that in the USSR we made aircraft only ourselves. Indeed, many components and equipment were manufactured in allied countries of the Warsaw Pact.
Back then "Poland, Czechoslovakia and other countries participated in the cooperation," stated Fyodor Borisov, professor at the Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
Furthermore, in the aftermath of the dissolution of the USSR, the industry experienced significant decline. Financial resources were depleted to the point that salaries for employees could not be met, hindering the production of aircraft. The economically disadvantaged segment of the population ceased to fly as they had previously done. The company has decided to terminate its business relationships with its production facilities located in other countries and former Soviet republics. The country's aviation industry suffered significantly from the economic downturn that followed. It is unfortunate that some of the competencies were lost along with the highly skilled individuals and designers of that time. Western aircraft manufacturers were leading the field, and Russia had to make up for lost time. Engaging in this process in collaboration with them is a more efficient and cost-effective approach.

"We manufacture avionics in-house, have a long-standing history of producing airframes, have a reputable educational institution, and are capable of producing engines in-house. However, in order to produce a competitive product, it is necessary to purchase the most advanced solutions available on the global market. Consequently, we began to source these products from international markets, as we had not previously manufactured them within the Union republics. There was no motivation to produce this within the country. Furthermore, it should be noted that all of the aforementioned requires significant investment and time. However, in instances of confrontation with the West, the majority of these products became unavailable. We were faced with an unprecedented task, the solution to which has eluded the world since the Second World War: to produce an aircraft that is maximally import-substituting," says Borisov.
In regard to Boeing and Airbus, Russia is not yet in a position to compete with them on the international market. This is a possibility, but it would take effect only after 2035 when the Russian airline fleets have been fully provided with the aircraft .
"The primary objective of Russian aircraft manufacturing is to cater to a sufficiently large domestic market, where Western concerns have declined to supply their airliners. Solving this problem will take between five and seven years.
During this period, it will be necessary to address any teething troubles that are likely to arise when developing a new product, plus enhance our own production, and cultivate cooperation with friendly or neutral countries where they are feasible. The initial users typically identify and address any issues during operation, which are then rectified," says Borisov.

Following the saturation of the domestic market with MS-21 aircraft, Russia is poised to enter the export market in friendly countries. Russia has a fleet of over 600 Boeing and Airbus aircraft, which will need to be replaced first with domestic models.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Boeing. However, recent years have seen a decline in the American company's performance. The company is currently facing significant financial challenges due to accidents involving its new products and allegations of non-compliance in production. Sam Mohawk, a former Boeing employee, stated that the plant was "in a very big mess and there is a serious shortage of parts due to problems with suppliers."

Boeing has experienced a significant decline in aircraft sales over the past two years. Until 2023, both aviation giants were operating at similar levels, but in 2023, Boeing sold 207 fewer aircraft than Airbus. In 2024, the Americans experienced a further decline. Boeing fell behind Airbus by as many as 418 aircraft. The current gap between the two aviation giants is unparalleled in history. The Americans delivered only 348 commercial aircraft to airlines, which was the worst result since 2005 (excluding the period of the pandemic). Airbus achieved its best result since 2019, with sales of 766 aircraft.
"With regard to Boeing and Airbus, I believe that their primary concern at present is not the MC-21, but rather the Chinese aviation industry. Just like us, China is now focused on the domestic market and ensuring the supply of its own aircraft," says Borisov.

While the direct sanctions imposed on the MS-21 indicate a certain apprehension on the part of the US regarding our country's achievements in the domains of aircraft manufacturing and composite wing technology, the measures do not fully capture the complexity of the situation.

Russia has a strong competitive advantage over China in certain areas, which creates significant opportunities for the export of our components and engines to China in the future.

"In terms of engines, Russia has advanced further than China, since Beijing does not produce engines for its aircraft, but buys them in the West. At the same time, China is making rapid progress in many areas of aircraft manufacturing. The extent of its progress is currently unclear due to the restricted nature of the information available. It is important to note that China produces its C919 aircraft through international collaboration, with the aircraft incorporating numerous components from foreign suppliers. China does not have the task of import substitution as urgently as we had to do," says Borisov. However, in light of the intensifying trade tensions between the United States and China, it is important to note that Beijing is not ruling out the possibility of an economic blockade from the West. This could occur in a variety of areas, including the aviation industry.Then they may look to Russia for help.