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Kremlin blames US for intentionally putting up visa roadblocks for Russian pilots

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow and Washington could be left without direct flights

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. The Kremlin believes that Washington has deliberately created difficulties with issuing visas to Russian pilots, there are no objective reasons for such a situation.

"Evidently, the Americans have no objective reasons for difficulties with issuing visas, because all [US diplomatic staff] cuts have not affected the Consular Section in any way," Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Apparently, these difficulties have been created deliberately. It is fully on our US counterparts’ conscience."

"Of course, we are concerned. We do not want events to unfold in such a way," the Kremlin spokesman added.

On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Russia and the US could be left without direct flights because of the difficulties the crews of the Russian Aeroflot flagship carrier have with getting US visas. The ministry recalled that the obligation to issue visas to aircrews had been enshrined in the 1994 Russian-US Air Transport Agreement. Aeroflot later confirmed its crews are facing difficulties with getting US visas.