MOSCOW, July 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian air carriers cease transit flights through Ukraine’s airspace after the Boeing-777-200 crash, said Rosaviatsia agency.

The step followed as the aircraft of Malaysia Airlines crashed near the Russian border at the time of active military actions. The new routes are planned, bypassing Ukraine and proceeding in the airspace of other bordering countries that provide safe flights on their territories, goes the statement.

Russian air carriers now decided whether to cancel or continue regular connection with destinations in Ukraine, Rosaviatsia added. In particular, Aeroflot has already cancelled two flights to Odessa and Kiev on July 17 and a regular flight to Kiev on July 18.

The European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) has closed the Ukrainian air space for civilian airplanes. 

US air companies decided to cancel voluntarily flights in the air space near the Russian-Ukrainian border. US Federal Aviation Administration stated about this decision after consultations with air carriers in the country. Chinese Civil Aviation Administration instructed Chinese airplanes to avoid flights over the dangerous zone, Aeroflot has changed its flight schedule, cancelling several flights to Ukrainian cities of Kiev and Odessa. Malaysia Airlines, Vietnamese domestic air carrier and Dutch airline KLM will also make flights on alternative routes. 

Following the mysterious crash of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 in the very east of Ukraine on Thursday, Germany’s flag carrying airline Lufthansa has taken a decision to divert all of its flights from Ukrainian airspace.

At the same time, Russia’s number two airline, Transaero, said in an official statement its flights to third countries would be performed bypassing Ukrainian territory.