National

EU and Canada ban Russian flights over Europe over Ukraine crisis

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Feb, 2022 12:02 PM

Brussels, Feb 28 (IANS) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Union awould shut its airspace to Russian airlines in response to its "special military operation" in Ukraine since early Thursday.

"We are shutting down the EU airspace for Russians," Von der Leyen said in a statement on Sunday, "We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, registered or controlled aircraft."

"These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU," she said, adding that the ban would "apply to any plane owned, chartered or otherwise controlled by a Russian legal or natural person."

"So let me be very clear. Our airspace will be closed to every Russian plane -- and that includes the private jets of oligarchs," she stressed.

Canada is also part of this mission. Transport Canada Minister Omar Algahbra tweeted regarding a similar measure.

Effective immediately, Canada’s airspace is closed to all Russian aircraft operators. We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks against Ukraine.
— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) February 27, 2022

Earlier on Sunday, France also said it would shut down its airspace to Russian airlines and Russian registered aircraft, French national airline Air France announced on its website to suspend flights to and from Russia, effective from Sunday until further notice, Xinhua news agency reported.

The airline also said the flights between France and China, South Korea and Japan would also be temporarily suspended in order to study flight plan options enabling to avoid Russian airspace. It has prolonged the suspension of flights to Ukraine's capital Kiev until further notice, "following the shutdown of Ukrainian airspace."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Allegations of voter fraud in BC Liberal leadership should be independently investigated: Sharma

Serious allegations of voter fraud involving the BC Liberal leadership campaign should be investigated independently, Vancouver-Hastings MLA Niki Sharma said today. According to multiple media reports, five of seven leaderships campaigns have sent a joint letter to the BC Liberals’ Leadership Organizing Committee alleging membership irregularities.

Allegations of voter fraud in BC Liberal leadership should be independently investigated: Sharma

Tightening rules for unvaxxed justified: experts

As Quebec officials consider tightening the rules for the unvaccinated, health experts in the province say expanding the vaccine passport system is justified because of the high number of COVID-19 patients in hospital who have refused to be jabbed.

Tightening rules for unvaxxed justified: experts

Quebec to impose tax on unvaxxed

Premier Francois Legault made the announcement as the province reported another daily record for virus-related hospitalizations. Of the 2,742 patients in Quebec hospitals with COVID-19 on Tuesday, 255 of them were in intensive care.

Quebec to impose tax on unvaxxed

Businesses eye rethink of parental leave in EI

It's an idea that has been floated previously, to hive off the special benefits for new parents from the EI system, given the growth in demand for the leaves, although how to finance it has been a key stumbling block.

Businesses eye rethink of parental leave in EI

Zelenskyy talks Russia sanctions with Trudeau

Zelenskyy delivered that message to Trudeau in their Tuesday morning telephone call, which came on the eve of a key meeting in Brussels between the 30-country NATO alliance and Russia.

Zelenskyy talks Russia sanctions with Trudeau

Slim majority support lockdowns amid Omicron

56 per cent of respondents in the poll conducted by Leger and the Association of Canadian Studies agreed governments are making the right decisions to limit the spread of Omicron and keep the health system from being overrun.