Russia bans UK aircraft from entering its airspace
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Moscow responds to London's sanctions.
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A British Airways carrier.
After Johnson promised a "massive package" of sanctions on Moscow, Russia has issued a ban against UK aircraft entering Russian airspace on Friday.
This ban will include all aircraft associated with Britain, as a response to sanctions that target over 100 Russian individuals and a Russian national air carrier, Aeroflot.
The Federal Air Transport Agency announced that British aircraft will not be allowed to cross Russian airspace even for transit purposes.
"This step was taken in accordance with the provisions of the Intergovernmental Air Services Agreement between Russia and the UK as a response to unfriendly moves by the UK aviation authorities regarding the restriction on regular flights of aircraft owned, leased, or operated by a person associated with Russia or registered in Russia", the agency said in a statement.
According to the agency, Moscow sent a proposal to London to hold consultations concerning the flights between Russia and the UK, and the proposal was rejected.
Read more: Lavrov disappointed with talks with British FM
London's rejection of the proposal and its unwillingness to negotiate pushed Russia to take drastic measures "in accordance with the provisions of the intergovernmental agreement on air traffic between Russia and the UK."
Aeroflot, targeted in London's latest batch of sanctions, is Russia's largest airline and flagship carrier. Russian bank VTB and Rostec, a high-tech and defense conglomerate corporation, were also part of Johnson's sanctions.
Read more: EU to 'strangle' Russia economic functions: French FM
Yesterday, along with the wide wave of US, European and other Western allies' sanctions, 10 Downing Street also pitched in as Boris Johnson promised a "massive package of economic sanctions designed in time to hobble the Russian economy," after describing the Russian military operation in Donbass as an "invasion... by land, by sea and by air."
