BEIRUT (Sputnik) — Russia notified authorities of Lebanon, Turkey and Cyprus that its navy would begin exercises in the Mediterranean Sea at midnight on Friday, the Lebanese transport minister said.
"We, Cyprus and Turkey are informed of the fact that Russian manoeuvres will begin today at midnight," Ghazi Zeaiter told Al Mayadeen TV channel.
Russian officials have not commented on the issue yet.
Earlier on Friday, Zeaiter said Lebanon was unable to satisfy Moscow’s request to reroute civilian aircraft flying over a coastal region over the three-day Russian military drills planned in the Mediterranean, as the country's civil aviation had no alternative routes.