The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has ramped up sanctions against the Belarusian economy, designating three cargo airlines and the government-owned VIP B767-300ER which strongman Alexander Lukashenko uses as a presidential jet.
Rada Airlines (RDA, Minsk National) was designated for its alleged support to private military contractors Wagner Group, a proxy of the Russian government, by moving its troops to and from Africa. The company operates three Il-62Ms, of which two are currently active. Both have been flying to various African countries in recent weeks, including Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic. The airline also allegedly participated in the "trafficking of exotic animals between Mexico and Venezuela".
Rubystar Airways (RSB, Minsk National) was accused of providing direct support to the Russian military by transporting its troops to and from Africa. The carrier also flew shipments of military helicopters to an unnamed African country on behalf of a Russian company. It operates one An-12(BP) and three Il-76TDs.
The US also designated the executives of the two companies: Dmitry Olegovich Ishchenko and Ivan Nikolaevich Nareiko from Rada and Evgeniy Ivanovich Mikholap from RubyStar.
The third designated carrier, Belcanto Airlines (BTA, Minsk National), was sanctioned for its affiliation with already sanctioned TAE Avia (formerly Transaviaexport Airlines). OFAC alleged that Belcanto Airlines was incorporated in 2020 and launched in 2022 under the same leadership as TAE Avia. The new carrier also took over or leased aircraft from TAE Avia and continued the same operations as the older carrier. Belcanto does not operate any aircraft at this time.
Transaviaexport Airlines was designated by OFAC in December 2021, shortly before the rebranding to TAE Avia and the launch of Belcanto Airlines.
Following the new designations, the only remaining active Belarusian cargo carrier not sanctioned by the US is An-26-operator Genex (GNX, Minsk National).
The US authorities also designated Lukashenko's bizliner, EW-001PB (msn 33968), which is operated by Belavia (B2, Minsk National). It is the last of the three executive aircraft operated for the government by Belavia to be designated, following B737-800(BBJ) EW-001PA (msn 33079) designated in March 2023 and Bombardier Challenger 850 EW-301PJ (msn 8057) designated in August 2023.
However, the US authorities simultaneously lifted sanctions on ACJ319-100 P4-MIS (msn 3133), formerly linked to sanctioned Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. The aircraft was deregistered from Aruba in 2023 and is currently stored at Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg, CH without a known new registration or operator, the ch-aviation fleets module shows.
