MOSCOW, May 02./ITAR-TASS/. Ukrainian aviation authorities have unilaterally banned Russian air companies to make flights to the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Kharkiv starting from Friday, May 2, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency stated on Friday.

“The Federal Air Transport Agency informs that Ukrainian aviation authorities had banned unilaterally Russian air companies to make flights to airports in Donetsk and Kharkiv starting from May 2, 2014,” the agency’s press release said.

Russia’s air transport authority noted that this ban was an unprecedented violation of international air traffic agreements, encroached strongly on the rights of passengers and led to a humanitarian blockade of residents in south-eastern Ukrainian regions.

Russian aviation authorities “will not take symmetrical measures and will not close the country’s air space for Ukrainian companies,” the Federal Air Transport Agency stated on Friday.

“Russia hopes for common sense of those who had taken this basically cynical decision and urges Ukrainian aviation authorities not to take unfriendly steps leading to the transport blockade of Donetsk and Kharkiv,” the Russian air transport authority said.