MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Russia has prohibited the arrival and transit of all aircraft associated with the United Kingdom or registered in it, the Federal Air Transport Agency said on Friday.

"On February 25, 2022, starting at 11:00 Moscow time, a restriction was introduced on the use of the Russian Federation’s airspace by aircraft owned, leased or operated by individual entities associated with the UK or registered in the UK, to the territory of the Russian Federation, including transit flights through Russia’s airspace," the statement said.

The Federal Air Transport Agency recalled that this measure was taken in response to "unfriendly decisions of the UK aviation authorities". The day before, the Agency sent a proposal to the UK to hold consultations on compliance with the issue of flight rules between the two states. "This morning, we received a negative response from colleagues from the UK. This is the basis for the Russian side to take response measures in accordance with the provisions of the Intergovernmental Air Services Agreement between Russia and the UK in order to comply with the principle of parity and equal rights for airlines," the Agency noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.