MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. Restrictions on flights between Russia and four EU countries - Italy, Germany, Spain and France - may affect more than 700 flights a week operated by Russian airlines, a source from the Russian aviation authorities told TASS on Wednesday.

"Before air travel was restricted, Russian airlines had been operating about 700 flights a week to these countries," the source explained.

Five carriers had been operating flights to Italy before restrictions were imposed over the novel coronavirus, including the flagship carrier Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Rossiya, Pobeda and Ural Airlines, that accounted for about 200 flights a day. The same companies were operating about 160 flights a week to Spain. Aeroflot, S7, Rossiya, Pobeda and UtAir were flying to 18 German destinations (about 260 flights a week overall). Aeroflot, S7, Rossiya and Ural Airlines were making about 100 flights a week to France.

In line with the decision of the Russian coronavirus task force, regular flights will continue to certain cities in Italy, Germany, Spain and France. All flights will be serviced at Terminal F of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, which is now servicing the flights from the countries the travel to and from which was suspended earlier over the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (China, South Korea and Iran). Besides, the possibility remains for charter flights to evacuate passengers of Russian carriers.

Russian carriers can continue operating flights to Rome, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt-on-Main, Madrid, Barcelona and Paris for now.

Russia will temporarily restrict air service with Italy, Germany, Spain and France starting March 13, Russia’s task force for combating the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) told reporters on Wednesday.

"[A decision was made] to temporarily restrict passenger flights from the territory of Russia to and from the territory of the Italian Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic," the message said. Earlier on Wednesday, Aeroflot announced mass suspension of flights to these countries.

This is the most significant suspension of European flights due to the coronavirus outbreak so far. Earlier, Russia partly suspended flights with China, South Korea and Iran. Flights to those countries are only operated by Aeroflot from Moscow Sheremetyevo Terminal F. Several Russian air carriers have begun to reduce the amount of flights to Italy due to low demand.

Earlier on Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially characterized the situation with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reminded that the disease had spread to 114 countries, with over 118,000 people infected.