After Russia started war in Ukraine in February 2022, the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia and Russian companies, including affecting the aviation industry. These sanctions are intended to prevent maintenance of Airbus and Boeing aircraft operated by Russian companies outside of Russia. Even with sanctions in place, Russian flights to Turkey increased in 2022. An estimated quarter of international flights from Russia land at Turkish airports.
Russian airlines still refuel in Turkey, although not from Havas and TGS.
Moreover, these flights are operated with Airbus and Boeing aircraft seized from Western leasing operators. In this context, the United States issued a warning to Turkish handling companies and called on them to stop refueling aircraft in the fleets of Russian companies.
In late January, Turkey's largest ground handling company, Havas, told Russian airlines that they could soon face a service disruption for their Airbus and Boeing aircraft. And Turkish Ground Services (TGS) has stopped supplying fuel to Russian-registered Airbus and Boeing aircraft. But even so, these planes continue to fly to Turkey. There are no disruptions in the operational schedule of flights between Russia and Turkey.