Russia closes airspace to 36 countries

MOSCOW

Russia on Monday closed its airspace to 36 countries, according to an announcement by the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviation).

"In accordance with the norms of international law, as a response to the ban of European states on flights of civil aircraft operated by Russian air carriers and/or registered in Russia, a restriction on flights of air carriers of 36 states has been introduced," the agency said in a statement.

The tit-for-tat move is to affect carriers of Albania, Austria, Anguilla, Belgium, Bulgaria, British Virgin Islands, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Jersey, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, the Greek Cypriot administration, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Croatia, Czechia, Sweden, Estonia, and Denmark, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Flights from these countries and regions will only be allowed to enter Russian airspace with a special permit issued by Rosaviation or the Russian Foreign Ministry.

As part of a sanctions package, the EU on Sunday banned Russian aircraft from landing, taking off, or flying over the territory of the EU. The move also barred companies in the bloc from selling civilian aircraft and spare parts to Russia.

Canada has also banned Russian aircraft from its airspace.

Since last Thursday -- days after Russian recognition of two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine -- Russia's war on Ukraine has been met by an outcry from the international community, with the EU, UK, and the US implementing a range of economic sanctions against Russia.

Russia has been further isolated a number of its banks were kicked out of the SWIFT international banking system.