One-Third of Russian Rescue Hubs Operate Without Aircraft Amidst Declining State Contracts

According to the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia, almost a third of Russia’s search-and-rescue centers lack the necessary aircraft to respond effectively to both aviation and maritime emergencies.

Of the 111 designated standby locations equipped for Mi-8 helicopters and An-26 transport planes, 31 reportedly do not have active resources available.

These deficiencies impact key regional hubs such as Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, and Kaliningrad.

Private carriers have reported a 75% shortfall between government-mandated tariffs and their actual operational expenses.

The primary issue revolves around the minimum financial threshold needed to sustain specialized rescue operations, with one private operator noting an average monthly expenditure of 6.3 million rubles (approximately $80,000) for constant readiness.

In contrast, the government provides about 5 million rubles ($63,500) monthly under a two-year contract agreement.

In 2025, private airlines chose not to submit bids for long-term government contracts worth a total of 3 billion rubles ($38 million) across 13 regions in Russia.

As reported by Izvestia, the civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, stated it has taken measures to address industry concerns by increasing contract payment rates by up to 28% for 2026.

However, any further changes will necessitate more transparent financial audits from private operators, which some companies have been hesitant to provide.

An anonymous source from an airline indicated that the gap in aviation coverage for search-and-rescue could nearly double by 2026 if the state does not increase its compensation rates.

In addition to their role in civilian search-and-rescue operations, these hubs are also crucial for recovery missions for space crews. Thus, a lack of coverage in Siberia could significantly delay the retrieval of cosmonauts and astronauts returning from the International Space Station.