Russia refused to allow European planes to land in Moscow in support of Belarus

Russia has blocked three European Union (EU) flights to Moscow, refusing Air France and Austrian Airlines to change their route in order to avoid Belarusian territory. in a show of support for Belarus in its latest confrontation with the West.

“The Presidential Administration is not dedicated to air traffic control”, stressed the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, during his daily press conference.

The spokesperson made the comment after two flights of the airline Air France and one of the Austrian airlines to Moscow had to be canceled for the Russian refusal to offer them an alternative to the Belarusian flyover.

The Kremlin is silent

The Kremlin recommended contacting Russian aviation authorities, who so far have not responded to requests for Efe on the reason for this decision.

“A change of route must be approved by the authorities. The Russian authorities have not issued this authorization ”, an Austrian Airlines spokesperson summed up why flight OS601 between Vienna and Moscow had to be canceled.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry said that “The Russian reaction does not keep any kind of proportionality”, and asked Moscow “Do not artificially obstruct air traffic between Russia and Europe.”

The French airline in turn had to cancel two flights to Moscow -a yesterday and a tomorrow- because the Russian authorities demand “a new authorization” to enter Russian territory after the change of route.

Russian airline Aeroflot seized the moment and announced that some passengers from canceled flights will travel to Moscow with one of their planes, a spacious Boeing 777.

The two EU companies, along with many others, have decided to follow the recommendation issued on the 24th by EU leaders that avoid Belarusian airspace, including airlines – mainly state airlines Belavia– The 27 have banned flying over Community airspace.

This after the forced diversion to Minsk airport ordered last Sunday by the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, of a flight of the company Ryanair which covered the connection Athens-Vilnius, on the grounds of a bomb threat on board.

The measure was used to arrest an opposition journalist, Roman Protasevich, and his girlfriend, the Russian citizen Sofia Sapega.

A space above Belarus empty of flights

Since wednesday alone Chinese and Russian airlines fly over Belarus, as can be seen in the flight tracking service FlightRadar24.

Among the companies that have decided to avoid Belarusian airspace are, in addition to Air France Yes Austrian airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Finnair, Iberia, The Polish guy PARCEL, Baltic Air, KLM or own Ryanair.

In addition, Ukraine has suspended all flights between the two countries and it has banned its airlines from crossing Belarusian airspace, despite the fact that Kiev airport will lose 10% of its revenue as a result of the measure.

Belavia in turn today announced the cancellation of flights to eight countries, including Spain, from Thursday due to the EU airspace closure for the company.

It is Poland (Warsaw), Italy (Milan and Rome), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Germany (Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hanover), Austria (Vienna), Belgium (Brussels), Spain (Barcelona) and Russia (Kaliningrad).

Aviation authorities in Belarus, a country that normally registers more than 2,000 overflights per week, downplayed in statements to Efe losses of the community veto.

The Deputy Director General of Belaeronavigatsia, Valerian Grod, he calculated on Tuesday that the drop in air traffic could lead to losses in Belarus of “up to 5%”, although he refused to be categorical on the matter.

Putin’s only support

Lukashenko, who defended his actions on Wednesday and threatened the West with counter-sanctions, such as a food embargo or restrictions on the transit of its goods, he only has the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he will meet tomorrow in the spa town of Sochi.

Moscow, led by its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, stressed from the start that the arrest of the journalist critical of the Lukashenko regime is an “internal affair” of Belarus and demanded to stop “demonizing” this country, stressing that Minsk has proposed from the beginning an investigation with experts international.

The Kremlin spokesman argued that The two will talk not only about Sapega, but also about the “situation around” the incident with the Ryanair flight., classified by the EU as “piracy” and “state hijacking” of a European commercial aircraft.

(With information from EFE)

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