REUTERS
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has introduced a complete ban on transit flights of the Russian airlines through the territory of Ukraine, as part of its sanctions policy against the aggressor state, Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk said during a government meeting.
"We have held consultations, reviewed our regulations, we expected that Russia would cancel its decision that bans Ukrainian companies from flying to Russia and through the Russian territory, but Russia, as usual, did not agree to Ukraine's legitimate conditions. That is why the government of Ukraine has decided to impose a ban on all transit flights of all Russian airlines through the Ukrainian airspace," Yatsenyuk said.
Yatsenyuk also noted that the ban regarding Russian military aircraft and aircraft carrying out military transit had already been introduced.
"Now, the ban is applied to all Russian civil air carriers. I ask the Infrastructure Ministry to take all measures to inform the Russian side," the Prime Minister said.
Such decision has also been motivated by the deterioration of the foreign political situation, the Prime Minister noted, adding that Russia could use the Ukrainian airspace for provocations.
Read alsoUkraine has no plans to resume talks with Russia on lifting air traffic banAs UNIAN reported earlier, on October 25 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in accordance with the decision of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine adopted a decision to ban flights of Russian airlines in the first place, "Aeroflot" and "Transaero" in Ukraine, as well as transit flights of Russian airlines through Ukraine if they carry military goods, dual purpose, or the Russian military.