The United States today announced the issuance of a warrant for the seizure of a Boeing 737-700 owned by PJSC Rosneft Oil Company (Rosneft), a Moscow-based integrated Russian energy company headed by Igor Ivanovich Sechin.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York authorized the seizure, finding probable cause that the Boeing aircraft was subject to seizure based on violations of the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and recent sanctions issued against Russia.
According to court documents, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued sanctions against Russia, which impose export controls and licensing requirements to protect foreign policy interests. In this case, these sanctions prevent an aircraft built or manufactured in the United States from entering Russia without a valid license.
Specifically, since February 2022, when export controls preventing the U.S.-built plane from re-entering Russia went into effect, the plane has left and re-entered Russia at least seven times, in violation of federal law.
Rosneft – which is headed by Igor Ivanovich Sechin – owns the aircraft. The Boeing is believed to be worth approximately $25 million. The FBI and the Commerce Department are investigating the seizure issue. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the case.
