Crisis in Russian Search-and-Rescue: One-Third of Hubs Operate Without Aircraft Amid Contract Disputes

According to the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia, nearly one-third of Russia’s search-and-rescue centers are lacking the necessary aircraft to effectively manage aviation and maritime emergencies.

Of the 111 designated standby sites for Mi-8 helicopters and An-26 transport planes, it appears that 31 locations currently lack operational coverage.

This shortfall impacts key regional hubs such as Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, and Kaliningrad.

Private carriers report a significant 75% gap between government-set tariffs and the true costs of operations.

The primary issue revolves around the break-even point for maintaining specialized rescue apparatus. One private operator has indicated that the average monthly expense for continuous standby is approximately 6.3 million rubles ($80,000).

The government, however, is offering only around 5 million rubles ($63,500) per month under a two-year contract.

In 2025, private airlines opted not to participate in bidding for long-term government contracts amounting to 3 billion rubles ($38 million) across 13 regions of Russia.

As reported by Izvestia, the civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia has taken measures to address the industry’s concerns by proposing an increase in contract fees by up to 28% for 2026.

Further adjustments, it noted, would necessitate more transparent cost evaluations from private operators, which some companies have not yet been willing to provide.

An anonymous source within an airline indicated that the deficit in search-and-rescue aviation capabilities could nearly double in 2026 if the government does not raise its compensation rates.

In addition to conducting civilian search-and-rescue operations, these hubs serve as the main recovery force for space crews as well. Consequently, insufficient coverage in Siberia could lead to considerable delays in locating cosmonauts and astronauts returning from the International Space Station.