EU shuts airspace for Russian airlines, Moscow responds in kind

Charles Harrison
Express
Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:52 UTC

Russian airlines will no longer be able to use EU airspace, according to a German radio broadcaster. Matthias Deis, deputy studio manager for German TV broadcaster ARD Capital Studio, announced the decision on Twitter. Mr Deis said: "EU countries close airspace for Russian airlines. Just confirmed to me from a reliable source."

He added: "Reversal of flights over Russian territory in anticipation of Russian response I hear. This means that Russia could also close its airspace."

This comes after Germany broke with a historic policy earlier today when they announced they would be sending military weapons to help Ukraine.

Several other European countries have made similar announcements, while Russian-owned planes can no longer enter UK airspace.

Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia and Romania said earlier today that they were banning some flights from Russia.

Russia itself earlier said it would close its airspace to flights from Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic after they issued a ban on Russian jets. They retaliated in kind to the UK.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas had urged other European Union countries to issue similar restrictions on Twitter, adding: "There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies."

Comment: The same Estonia whose President, back in August 2021, advised against investing in Ukraine because the judiciary was so corrupt.

Latvian Transport Minister Talis Linkaits also said on Twitter that "Latvia will close its airspace to Russian-registered airlines for commercial flights." He added that the decision would be formally approved at the next cabinet meeting.

Flightradar 24 showed that an Aeroflot carrier, among the airplanes that had been banned from UK airspace, was forced to take a significant detour over Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea this morning between Moscow and Budapest. The journey took a full 70 minutes longer than usual.

However, Russia's closing of airspaces in response has also created problems for the West.

UK airlines would typically use Russian airspace when flying the "great circle route" over nothern Russia and into parts of Asia such as China and Japan.

Comment: The Barentz Observer reports that Finland has jumped onto the band wagon and intends to close airspace to Russia's airlines; the same Finland that, just a few months ago, advised that the best course of action for the West was to engage in dialogue with Russia, apparently they didn't think that idea was worth trying out:

"Finland is preparing to close airspace for Russian air traffic," Minister of Transport and Communications, Timo Harakka, said in a tweet overnight.

Russian airline Aeroflot

In times of pandemic with closed borders to southern Europe and popular destinations for Russian tourists in South East Asia, Russian airliners have over the last few months redirected much of the charter flights to countries like Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico. With departures from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and others, the shortest routes are crossing the skies of Finland.

Germany on Saturday said it will close its airspace for Russian planes, Reuters reported. The country's largest airline Lufthansa said it cancels all flights for the coming week to destinations in Russia.

In practice, this means no entry possibilities of Russian airlines to western Europe as the airspace from Finland in the north to the Black Sea in the south is closed.

Commercial airlines are avoiding airspace of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova for security reasons due to the ongoing fights.

Avoiding Ukrainian airspace because of Ukraine's government and the foreign elements directing policy there is a wise move: Historian: 'Ukrainian authorities deliberately sent MH17 airliner into warzone'

For Finland's tourist industry, including in the snowy north, Finnair's direct flights to Helsinki are of great importance as the country just a few weeks ago reopened borders for international travel, after two years of COVID-19 restrictions.

Russia understands how critical the issue of a stable to Ukraine is to its security that it is likely willing and able to weather all kinds of groundless sanctions and the various other attacks in order to bring the dire situation to a resolution. It seems that the West are ignorant, perhaps willfully so, as to its importance, and that Russia has been preparing for their predictable attacks for many years now:

• From the Black Sea to the East Med, Don't Poke the Russian Bear
• President Putin didn't spark World War III, he just averted it

Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Why The West is OBSESSED With Provoking Russia, And Why Russia Bites Back