With regard to Austria, the information was provided by the Minister for Mobility, Energy and Climate Protection, ecologist Leonor Gosler, in a statement on her Twitter account.
“Austria is closing its airspace to Russian aircraft” as of this afternoon, he wrote, adding that this was a “decision just taken” by the government.
“Aircraft registered in Russia or owned or leased by Russian citizens should not enter Austrian airspace or land at Austrian airports,” the minister said, adding that Vienna had always said “very clearly” that it would “respond consistently and decisively to the Russian invasion,” With the airspace closed, “an important part of that response.”
Earlier in the day, the minister indicated on Twitter her government’s support for the shutdown, but said she would prefer to wait for the measure to be adopted unanimously by the European Union.
Canadian Transport Minister Omar Al-Ghubra announced today on Twitter that Canada is closing airspace “to all Russian airlines”, in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia and joins the vast majority of European countries that have closed their airspace to Russian companies.
“We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks on Ukraine,” Al-Ghabra added.
Although there are currently no direct flights between Canadian and Russian airports, the decision could make it more difficult for Russian airline Aeroflot to fly from Russia to the United States and other American countries through Canadian airspace.
“The Government of Canada prohibits the operation of aircraft owned, leased or operated by Russian interests in Canadian airspace” as well as “private aircraft operated by Russian interests,” Valerie Glazer, Director of Communications for the Minister of Transportation, said. Agence France-Presse news agency.
The same announcement was made by the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda.
Sources from the Spanish Ministry, consulted by the Spanish Effie Agency, indicated that the actual closing date has not yet been decided, as they are waiting for the meeting of European Union foreign ministers this afternoon.
What they expect is that it will be in the “next few hours”, although they have specified that the immediate closure can never be imposed, as there may be some flights in transit.
With this measure, Spain joins other European countries that have already closed their airspace, such as Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania – Romania, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.
Aina sources told Efe that the Russian airline, Aeroflot and Siberia, today suspended 12 regular flights from the Russian capital, Moscow, to several airports on the Spanish network.
Of these, two went to Barajas (Madrid), four to Barcelona, two to Malaga, three to Alicante and one to Valencia.
On Thursday, Russia launched a military attack in Ukraine, with ground forces and bombing targets in several cities, which has already caused the deaths of about 200 people, including civilians, and the injury of more than 1,100, on Ukrainian territory, according to Kiev. The United Nations has reported the displacement of nearly 370,000 people to Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the “special military operation” in Ukraine was aimed at disarming the neighboring country and that it was the only way for Russia to defend itself, with the Kremlin specifying that the offensive would continue as long as necessary.
The attack was generally condemned by the international community and led to emergency meetings of a number of governments, including the Portuguese, NATO, the European Union and the United Nations Security Council, agreeing to collective sanctions against Russia. .
CP // JH
Lusa / end
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