Belarusian carrier Belavia is stepping up to regular widebody operations with the introduction of three Airbus A330s, obtained despite international sanctions on the airline.

Belavia states that it has entered a “new era” with a “completely new type of aircraft” with the A330-200s.

It states that this will give it the ability to operate long-haul flights and start new routes.

“Many are waiting for this,” it adds, indicating that it will open routes from Minsk particularly to countries in southeast Asia.

Belavia says the Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered aircraft are configured with 281 seats in two classes, including 18 in the business cabin.

The carrier states that it has undertaken preparations including training of pilots, technicians and cabin crew, and devised new processes for maintenance, baggage-loading, and on board service.

Belavia has been operating a fleet of Western-built types including Boeing 737s – among them the 737 Max – as well as regional MHIRJ CRJs and Embraer E-Jets.

But it has been forced restructure its network and find alternative sources of aircraft for fleet expansion owing to sanctions imposed on the Lukashenko regime.

Belavia has not identified the source of the A330s.

But there are indications that three A330-200s – MSNs 491, 509 and 525, originally delivered to Emirates but also operated by carriers including Turkey’s Onur Air – are being transferred to Belavia, via a Gambian entity.

In March this year, news agency Reuters reported that the aircraft were being obtained from a company in Gambia called Magic Air.