Aeroflot added new shareholders who acquired a 4.8% stake in the carrier for 9.8 billion rubles. Russian Direct Investment Fund (RFPI), together with funds from Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE purchased the stake in September 2017, however the buyer was not disclosed.

RFPI has no plans to sell its stake as it believes in the growth of the Russian airline, despite shares in the carrier down 27.5% since last September. The investment fund is also open to increasing its stake, according to RFPI chief executive Kirill Dmitriev.

According to experts, Aeroflot's capitalization is under pressure due to high fuel prices, oil, and a weak ruble.