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Ukraine may consider a complete ban on transit flights of Russian airlines — ministry

Earlier on Thursday, the Deputy Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Omelyan told reporters that Kiev may completely ban air transit for Russia

KIEV, October 29. /TASS/. Ukraine may consider imposing a complete ban on transit flights of Russian airlines across its territory, Irina Kustovskaya, a spokesperson with the country’s Infrastructure Ministry said on Thursday.

"We do not rule out such a possibility, but any active steps have not been taken on this matter yet," she said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Deputy Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Omelyan told reporters that Kiev may completely ban air transit for Russia.

"We will definitely consider this issue. Now Ukrainian airlines flights over the Russian territory are banned. Accordingly, there will be steps from the Ukrainian side," he said.

Since August 2014, there has been a special regime of transit through Ukraine for two Russian airlines - Aeroflot and Transaero. It stipulates that for every planned flight through Ukraine to Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Israel the airlines must apply for permission to the Ukrainian State Aviation Service. The transit of live military forces and goods of dual and military use through Ukraine is banned.

In September, Aeroflot, along with 20 more Russian air companies were blacklisted by the Ukrainian authorities. These companies were banned, partially or completely, to make flight to destinations in Ukraine or via Ukraine. The sanction list includes Aeroflot subsidiaries Rossiya, Donavia, Orenburg Airlines and Transaero, as well as S7 (Sibir, Russia’s third air carrier in terms of passenger traffic) and Urals Airlines (ranked fifth). These airlines appeared in the list of 105 legal entities, to which the Ukrainian party has applied restrictions. The sanctions came into effect on October 25.