SIMFEROPOL, June 2. /TASS/. Ukraine’s threat of imposing sanctions against Belarus in response to possible launch of flights to Crimea runs counter to international law, Crimean official Alexander Molokhov told reporters on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova said earlier on Wednesday that Kiev’s sanctions would be imminent if planes operated by Belavia Belarusian Airlines will turn up in Crimea.
"A possible imposition of sanctions by Ukraine against Belarus in case direct air travel is launched between Minsk and Simferopol does not meet a single international law norm and contradicts ICAO rules," Molokhov said.
According to the BelTA news agency, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the authorities of Belarus and Russia are working on launching direct flights to Crimea.