US extends export restrictions on Utair, Azur Air

The US Department of Commerce has extended the export restrictions imposed on Russian Utair and Azur Air airlines by 180 days.

The corresponding decree was received via the e-database of the Federal Register (a collection of documents of the US government), TASS reports.

“I am granting the request for an extension of the temporary denial order [of export privileges] issued in this regard on October 3, 2022. I think that it is necessary to extend this order,” a document about Utair signed by US Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Matthew Axelrod says. The same document was issued for Azur Air.

The documents take effect immediately and extend the restrictions for 180 days.

The restrictions prevent airlines from engaging in transactions subject to US export regulations, including the export and re-export of software and technologies from the US.

The US introduced export control measures on February 24, 2022 for aviation-related products which are supplied to Russia.

The matter rests in "the introduction of additional requirements for licensing and restricting access to most of license exceptions for export, re-export and transfer within the country".

When considering license applications in accordance with the sanctions regime, a “presumption of refusal” is applied.