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Ukraine notifies Aeroflot of flight ban

The ban, which was also imposed on another Russian air carrier Transaero, is coming into force at 21:00 Moscow time

© ITAR-TASS/Yuri Smityuk

MOSCOW, August 14, /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s State Aviation Service has formally notified Russia’s Aeroflot of imposing a ban on transit flights via Ukraine’s territory, the airline’s press service told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

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The ban, which was also imposed on another Russian air carrier Transaero, is coming into force at 21:00 Moscow time.

“The measures directly concern the Transaero and Aeroflot airlines which make transit flights via Ukraine en route from Russia to Bulgaria, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Greece,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure said earlier on Thursday.

These air companies will be allowed to cross Ukraine’s airspace only upon receiving special permits from Ukraine’s State Aviation Service for each separate flight.

“The measures are being introduced to ensure the necessary level of aviation security and streamline transit via Ukraine by air companies, which are violating the flying rules over Crimea (Ukraine considers the airspace over the peninsula to be closed),” Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure said.

Meanwhile, Aeroflot has been making all its flights, including transit ones, bypassing the territory of Ukraine since July 17.

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