As of Sunday, the European Union has closed all its airspace to all Russian aircraft and companies. Across the English Channel, Canada and the United States made the same decision.
The European Union speaks with one voice. As of Sunday, the Union’s 27 member states have decided to close all of their airspace to Russian aircraft in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
A few days earlier, outside the Old Continent, Canada announced that it was closing its airspace “to all Russian aircraft operators,” according to the Twitter account of Canadian Transport Minister Omar Algabra. For his part, Joe Biden officially banned United States airspace for Russian aircraft during his “address to Congress on the state of the Union” on Tuesday night.
According to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, more Russian aircraft “will not be able to land, take off or take off from the European Union” regardless of the type of aircraft (passenger and goods transport, military aircraft and private aircraft).
This applies to all aircraft, charters, aircraft of airlines or aircraft owned by Russian citizens. “Let it be very clear that our airspace will be closed to all Russian planes, including the private planes of the oligarchs,” she said.
See the full list of countries that already ban Russian flights in the preview below. However, it should be noted that Belarus and Moldova, Ukraine’s neighbors, have announced a global closure of their airspace, and not just for Russia.
Immediate response from Russia
The Kremlin is returning the favor. In response to Western sanctions against Russian aircraft, the country, led by Vladimir Putin, has now banned flights from Russian airspace to all countries that have approved the sanctions. Moscow has responded by imposing several restrictions and banning airlines from the 36 countries listed below.
“In response to European countries banning flights of civil aircraft operated by Russian air carriers and / or registered in Russia, a restriction has been imposed on flights by air carriers from 36 countries,” the agency said. Russian airline Rosaviatsia in a statement issued on February 28.
However, flights by airlines from these countries can still be operated subject to a “special permit” issued by the Russian authorities.