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November 26, 2015

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Ukraine shuts airspace to Russia planes

Ukraine yesterday banned all Russian airlines from crossing its airspace in the latest escalation between the two neighbors 19 months into the separatist war in the east of the former Soviet state.

The announcement by Kiev came only moments after Russia announced plans to halt gas shipments to energy-dependent Ukraine, set to start today.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told a televised cabinet meeting that the latest ban was justified because 鈥淩ussia might use Ukrainian airspace to stage provocations.鈥

鈥淭his is an issue of our country鈥檚 national security 鈥 a response to the Russian Federation and its aggressive actions,鈥 he said.

Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Moscow of supporting the pro-Russian revolt in reprisal for last year鈥檚 ouster of Kiev鈥檚 Kremlin-backed president.

Kiev on October 25 barred most Russian airlines from flying into Ukraine 鈥 a decision that drew immediate reciprocal measures by Moscow.

But President Petro Poroshenko鈥檚 government had at the time allowed Russian airlines to cross Ukrainian airspace to other destination.

Yatsenyuk said the new decision came 鈥渋n part as result of the escalation of the military and geopolitical situation.鈥

Russia denies all involvement in a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people 鈥 the majority of them civilians 鈥 and plunged Moscow鈥檚 relations with the West to a post-Cold War low.

Moscow is threatening to halt all Ukrainian food imports should Kiev join a planned free trade alliance with the European Union.


 

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