Aeroflot airplanes at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow on Monday.Credit…Sergey Ponomarev for The New York TimesBERLIN — Western sanctions meant to punish President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for invading Ukraine may have also dealt a big blow to European companies that leased commercial aircraft to Russian airlines.The majority of commercial aircraft flown by Russian companies are leased, more than half of them from companies abroad. Most of those companies are based in Ireland, a member of the European Union, which banned the sale or leasing of aircraft to companies in Russia as part of its sanctions package.At stake is the fate of hundreds of planes worth an estimated $12 billion, according to Ishka, a consulting firm that specializes in the aviation industry. Those based in Ireland are particularly exposed, with $4 billion to $5 billion worth of aircraft in Russia, it said.The sanctions give companies leasing the planes until March 28 to terminate existing contracts, the Irish government confirmed on Monday.But getting the planes back won’t be easy. The repatriation of leased planes is normally planned years in advance. Airlines in Russia may not cooperate or may be ordered by Mr. Putin’s government to throw up obstacles. Another chal …
