BIS renews one-year export ban on Russia's URAL Airlines

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce has renewed for one year the temporary denial order that strips URAL Airlines JSC of its U.S. export privileges, effective immediately. The order was signed on September 24, 2026 by Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement David A. Peters and published in the Federal Register of September 29, 2026 (Vol. 91, No. 187, pp. 61384–61387, official reference 2026-19927).

The renewal rests on Section 766.24 of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR, 15 CFR parts 730–774), which allows BIS to deny export privileges when an order is necessary in the public interest to prevent an imminent violation, and to extend it for up to one year where a pattern of repeated, ongoing or continuous apparent violations is shown. The underlying authority comes from Section 4820(a)(5) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA, 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852).

URAL Airlines JSC, registered at Utrenniy Lane 1-g, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 620025, has been under a temporary denial order since October 13, 2022, when the then-Assistant Secretary signed a 180-day order ex parte. That order was renewed on April 10, 2023 (88 FR 22406), October 6, 2023 (88 FR 70925), October 4, 2024 (89 FR 81881) and September 30, 2025 (90 FR 48022).

Renewal request and findings

BIS, through the Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), filed its written renewal request on August 13, 2026, more than 20 days before the order’s scheduled expiration; because international mail service to Russia is suspended, the agency attempted delivery by alternative means under Sections 766.5 and 766.24(d). No opposition to the renewal was received.

Assistant Secretary David A. Peters found that the evidence convincingly demonstrates that Ural acted in violation of the Regulations and of the order, that those violations were significant and deliberate, and that there is a likelihood of imminent violations. Renewal for an extended period was deemed appropriate because Ural has engaged in a pattern of repeated, ongoing and/or continuous apparent violations of the EAR.

Flights cited as evidence

BIS submitted evidence that Ural continued to operate aircraft subject to the EAR and classified under ECCN 9A991.b on flights into and within Russia, in violation of the September 30, 2025 renewal order. The cited routes include Sukhumi, Georgia; Dushanbe, Khujand and Kulob, Tajikistan; and domestic services inside Russia. The order lists, among others:

• RA-73817 (serial 05055, A320-232): Sukhumi–Moscow on August 17, 2026; Sochi–Kemerovo on July 12, 2026; Dushanbe–Samara on July 3, 2026.
• RA-73819 (serial 02343, A320-232): Moscow–Yekaterinburg on July 3, 2026; Dushanbe–Chelyabinsk on June 28, 2026; Khujand–Yekaterinburg on June 25, 2026.
• RA-73798 (serial 07206, A321-231): Sukhumi–Moscow on August 26, 2026; Sochi–Moscow on July 13, 2026; Kazan–Dushanbe on July 11, 2026.

What the order prohibits

Ural, together with its successors, assigns, agents and employees, may not participate directly or indirectly in any transaction involving items exported or to be exported from the United States that are subject to the EAR. The prohibition covers:

• Applying for, obtaining or using any license, license exception or export control document, except as directly related to safety of flight.
• Negotiating, ordering, buying, receiving, using, selling, delivering, storing, disposing of, forwarding, transporting, financing or otherwise servicing such a transaction.
• Benefitting in any way from such a transaction.

Third parties are likewise barred from exporting, reexporting or transferring items to Ural, facilitating its acquisition of controlled items, acquiring items from Ural, or servicing items it owns or controls, except where directly related to safety of flight and authorized by BIS under Section 764.3(a)(2). Related persons, firms or corporations may also be made subject to the order after notice and opportunity for comment under Section 766.23.

Appeal and further renewal

Ural may appeal at any time by filing a full written statement with the Office of the Administrative Law Judge, U.S. Coast Guard ALJ Docketing Center, 40 South Gay Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-4022. BIS may seek a further renewal by written request no later than 20 days before expiration, and Ural may oppose it in a submission to the Assistant Secretary received no later than seven days before the expiration date.

The renewal extends U.S. sanctions pressure on Russian civil aviation for another year and serves as formal notice to companies and individuals in the United States and abroad that they should avoid dealing with Ural in export, reexport or any other activity subject to the EAR.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 187, 29 September 2026, Notices, pp. 61384–61387 (official reference: 2026-19927).