Russia is calling on aviation leaders meeting this week in Montreal to lift sanctions on aircraft spare parts and overflight restrictions citing flight safety concerns, according to a report by Reuters. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western sanctions have severed Russia’s access to foreign-built aircraft and spare parts. Now Moscow is stepping up efforts to seek relief from sanctions amid growing concerns that flight safety may be at risk as its fleet of Western-made aircraft deteriorates. In a paper seen by the agency, Russia argued to the ICAO that aviation sanctions transgress global rules. In July, at least one formally operating Russian airport was shut down temporarily almost every day of the month.