The Wall Street Journal reported that private jets belonging to Russian billionaires are stuck in the United Arab Emirates.
Since the war began, a build-up of more than 100 planes have sat at the airports. Satellite imagery and data from WINGX was cited by the Journal.
The Russia-UAE connection is three times more busy in the first week of March than it was in the pre-pandemic period.
Satellite images taken by Planet Labs show an increase in private jets from February to April.
Western nations imposed a number of sanctions on Russia after it attacked Ukraine. The sanctions were meant to hurt the Russian economy and some of Putin's closest allies.
The sanctions resulted in the seizure of some of the most luxurious assets of Russian billionaires.
Some of the richest people in Russia have found refuge in places that have not been hit by sanctions.
Four private jets were seen leaving Moscow in March. Russian air traffic has not been banned by the city.
Aviation lawyers and private jet brokers told The Journal that Russian jet owners can't fly them anywhere else as they are stuck in the Middle East.
Steve Varsano, CEO of a London-based sales brokerage firm for private planes, told the publication that a lot of Russian-related airplanes have moved to the U.S.
The US Department of Commerce imposed sanctions that prevent Russian-linked aircraft from being refueled, maintained, or repaired. Major aviation companies stopped supplying spare parts to Russian airlines as a result of the war.
One expert told CNN he believed the sanctions were symbolic.
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