Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Government takes decision to close Ukraine's airspace to all Russian airlines

The Government of Ukraine takes a decision to ban all transit flights to all Russian airlines via Ukraine’s territory, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a Government meeting on Wednesday, November 25.

The Head of Government reminded that earlier Ukraine had adopted a decision to ban flights by Russian airlines to Ukraine: "We expected the Russian side, following the relevant decision and consultations, would abolish their prohibiting acts, including lifting the ban on air transportation by Ukrainian airlines and transit flights by Ukrainian airlines over the territory of Russia".

"We have taken all possible measures in order to hold these consultations, to make Russia take appropriate decisions. Russia, as always, disagreed on the lawful conditions offered by the Ukrainian side", he stressed.

In this regard, Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced, the Government of Ukraine makes a decision to impose ban on all transit flights for Russian airlines through the airspace of Ukraine.

Prohibiting flights for military aircraft and planes that carry out transit transportation for military purposes has already been enacted, he recalled.

"Now this ban applies to civil aviation of the Russian Federation and all airlines of the Russian Federation", highlighted Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

"The Government gives an order to UkSATSE [Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise – ed.], in compliance with the norms of international law, to inform the Russian Federation that Russian airlines and Russian aircrafts are no longer entitled to use the Ukrainian aviation space," said the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine to introduce measures, in accordance with international law, to notify the Russian side "on the closure of airspace to all Russian airlines without exception and terminating all transit transportation by Russian airlines".

The decision on such a ban, said the Head of Government, has been reached including through the significant worsening of military and external political situation: "Russia might use the Ukrainian aviation space for provocations. Therefore, it is a matter of national security of the country and the response to the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation."