An investment of 770 billion rubles (about 14,498 million dollars at current exchange rates) is planned to this end, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin reported during a meeting of the Executive.

Of the aforementioned figure, 150 billion rubles (about 2,824 million dollars) will be used this year to guarantee air transportation, said Mishustin, referring to the implementation of a broad and multi-sectoral program.

About 80 percent of the planes used by Russian commercial airlines were produced by the Boeing and Airbus companies, but the European Union and the United States have banned Russia from using their aircraft as part of an economic war against Moscow.

The prime minister recognized the current difficulties in the productive base of the national commercial air transport industry and called for an emphasis on the search for technological solutions.

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