UIA, Dniproavia and YanAir have already received a notice of a ban on flights to Russia / Photo from UNIAN
The State Aviation Service of Ukraine on October 1 sent a letter to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, demanding the explanation of reasons for the introduction of Russian sanctions against Ukrainian airlines and clarification as for the number of Ukrainian companies that are subject to these sanctions, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarskiy said at a briefing on Friday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
"On October 1, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine sent a letter to the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation where we ask them to explain the reason for a ban and request the number of Ukrainian airlines that are fallen under it. I hope that by the end of the day we will get answer from our Russian colleagues from the Federal Air Transport Agency," he said.
According to Pyvovarskiy, Ukraine imposed sanctions against Russian airlines, as they had illegally been carrying out flights to the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory of Crimea, which were banned in 2014.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on September 25, 2015, Ukraine's Cabinet decided to ban flights carried out by Russian airlines, mainly Aeroflot and Transaero, to Ukraine. Ukraine also banned transit flights of Russian airlines through the Ukrainian airspace "if they carry defense goods, duel-purpose equipment, or Russian military personnel." The bans is becoming effective on October 25.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that Ukraine would not lift the sanctions imposed on the Russian airlines until Crimea has been freed, and would protect its air carriers in every way possible.
The Russian Federation responded to Ukraine's move with retaliatory measures, barring as of October 25 the Ukrainian airlines from flying to Russia.
Three Ukrainian airlines, namely UIA, Dniproavia and YanAir, have already received notices of restrictions on flights to Russia.