MOSCOW, May 5 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s civil aviation authority has extended indefinitely its ban on Russian airlines flying to eastern cities Donetsk and Kharkiv, a source in Russia’s flagship air carrier Aeroflot told RIA Novosti.
Russian companies have been notified that flights to the restive eastern cities are banned “until further special notice.” The previous ban was valid until May 5.
Last Friday, local media reported that Ukrainian aviation authorities said that they had not banned Russian airlines from flying to eastern cities of Kharkiv and Donetsk, but had merely limited transportation along a particular route between Donetsk and Russia.
However, two major Russian air carriers – Aeroflot and Transaero – were forced to cancel all flights and compensate passengers for tickets.
Ukraine’s ban on Russian passenger flights to Donetsk and Kharkiv breaches international agreements, but Moscow will not take reciprocal measures, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency has said.
Last month, Ukraine banned Russian males aged 16-60 from entering the country, with exceptions including men traveling with relatives who are women or children, or those who have documents confirming an invitation from close relatives or serious illness or death in the family.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the ban was outrageous and called this move on the part of the Ukrainian government “obviously discriminatory and unfriendly.”
Since last month, pro-federalization rallies have swept across eastern Ukraine, which has a large proportion of Russian speakers.
