Kiev to ban Russian airlines from flying to Ukraine
"In accordance with a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), the government is adopting a resolution to ban flights of Russian airlines, including Aeroflot and Transaero, to Ukraine," Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said in a statement. In addition, Russian transit planes were also prohibited from flying in the Ukrainian airspace if they carried military goods, dual-purpose equipment and military personnel, Yatsenyuk said. The ban came after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko last week signed a decree submitted by the NSDC to impose sanctions on 388 Russian individuals and 105 companies, including 25 airlines, for their alleged assistance to insurgents in eastern regions. Kiev has repeatedly blamed Moscow for inciting the conflict in Lugansk and Donetsk regions, where rebels are demanding independence. Russia, however, has denied the charges, saying the accusations are groundless. Source: Xinhua
