By Government makes it criminal offence for Russian aircraft to enter UK
It is now a criminal offence for any Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed.
The announcement came just hours after the UK confirmed plans to gradually stop Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.
Mr Shapps added that this is in line with “other sectors within the sanctions regime” that have been applied since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
UK air traffic control, airlines and airports have been told not to allow access to “any aircraft which they have reason to believe is a Russian aircraft”.
Any Russian owned plane which fails to observe the new law can be detained by Airport operators and can have their licence cancelled.
Mr Shapps thanked operators for “supporting the government with these new aviation sanctions and playing your part as the UK supports Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion.”
The government said the sanction would target figures close to the Kremlin.
One plane in Hampshire is already under investigation.
Shapps said the UK was “one of the first countries to ban Russian aircraft and today we are going even further by making it a criminal offence for Russian aircraft to operate in UK airspace”.
“We will always work to deny [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his cronies the right to continue as normal while innocent Ukrainians suffer.”
Vladimir Putin has responded by prohibiting UK airlines from flying to and over Russia.
A number of other countries have already re-routed their flights to avoid Russian airspace.
