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Russian International Airlines | 1991



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Russian International Airlines | 1991

(TOP)
Airline - Russian International Airlines
Aircraft - Tupolev Tu-154M | RA-35101
Delivered to Sovnaravia, 1983
Transferred to Russian International Airlines, 1991
Sold to Voronezh Airlines, 1997
Stored at Moscow Domodedovo International Airlines, 2012
Scrapped at Moscow Domodedovo International Airlines, 2015
Livery - Standard 1991
Country - Russia

(BOTTOM)
Airline - Russian International Airlines
Aircraft - Ilyushin Il-86 | RA-86021
Delivered to Sovnaravia, 1977
Transferred to Russian International Airlines, 1991
Sold to Irkutavia, 1993
Stored at Irkutsk International Airport, 2007
Scrapped at Irkutsk International Airport, 2010
Livery - Standard 1991
Country - Russia

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Sovnaravia broke apart to form the flag carriers of most ex-Soviet republics. By far the largest splinter became Russian International Airlines, with a fleet of Tu-134s, Tu-154s, An-12s, An-24s, Il-86 widebodies and Il-76 cargo planes. Initially it started out with 141 Tupolev Tu-154s, however these were gradually retired from the outset, and the 26 Il-86s the carrier operated at the beginning - widely considered useless even by the pilots that flew them due to their low efficiency and pathetic range - were quickly sold off before the end of 1993. Unlike most businesses in post-Soviet Russia, which became mostly privatized in 1991, the airline remained under 80% government ownership. At first, the livery remained almost the same as the Sovnaravia one, with the Soviet branding on the tail being covered over by flags, titling repainted on the fuselage, and old CCCP- format registrations replaced by new RA- format Russian ones.