@moo

Russia breaking down: Air travel is another headache. Fears of drones and other military concerns prompted more than 500 airport closures last year. Sanctions prevent the import of spare parts for planes made by Airbus and Boeing, which account for 90% of passenger flights. Last year there were 800 breakdowns—more than triple the tally of the year before. Some airlines are refurbishing old Russian-made jets, although these also often suffer breakdowns. Even moving from street level to the upper stories of buildings can be a challenge, for similar reasons. Many lifts are made abroad, and spare parts are hard to find. When some Muscovites, angered by frequent breakdowns in their apartment block, recently started interrogating the lift repairmen about the shoddiness of their work, they retort by looking up as if towards an invisible overseer and saying, “You’re asking the wrong people.” The implication was that lasting repairs are impossible while the authorities prioritise the war over more quotidian concerns.

1 reply

0 recast

5 reactions