MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Ukrainian border guards, who did not allow Russian pilots into Ukraine and forced them to sleep on planes, acted in breach of international civil aviation rules.
Russia’s civil aviation authority said earlier this week that about 50 passengers and crew members, who arrived on flights by flagship air carrier Aeroflot between March 4 and 14, were not allowed to enter the Ukrainian soil.
Some pilots had to sleep in planes and had no opportunity to rest properly between flights.
“This affected flight safety in a most serious way,” Rosaviatsiya said.
The Foreign Ministry said it had sent a note of protest over the move.
“Such actions are seen by the Russian side as provocative and are in breach of international acts and conventions on human rights, as well as of international civil aviation safety rules,” the Russian foreign ministry said.
