RUSSIA today closed its airspace to flights operated by carriers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia in tit-for-tat punitive measures following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Britain has banned Russian flagship carrier Aeroflot from flying over the UK. Meanwhile Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltics, Germany and Slovenia have closed their airspace to Russian carriers.

“Air carriers of these states and/or registered in them are subject to restrictions on flights to destinations on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the federal air transport agency Rosaviation said.

It added that the restrictions included transit flights through Russia’s airspace.

Yesterday, Russia announced it will be barring flights from Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic. 

Also late yesterday Austrian Airlines, Austria’s national carrier, announced it was cancelling flights to Russia and avoiding Russian airspace for at least the next seven days.

The airline said in a statement it had taken the decision “due to the developing regulatory situation”. – AFP, February 27, 2022.