Ukraine set to ban major Russian carriers from its territory

The Ukrainian government has banned all major Russian airlines from landing at its airports with effect from October 25. Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk told the official government news service that the ban would target Aeroflot (SU, Moscow, Sheremetyevo) and  Transaero Airlines (UN, Moscow, Domodedovo) in particular.

"We have taken the decision to ban flights by Russian airlines, first and foremost by Aeroflot and Transaero, to Ukraine," he said. 

According to the ch-aviation route database, aside from Aeroflot and Transaero, S7 Airlines (S7,Novosibirsk), Saratov Airlines (6W, Saratov Tsentralny), and UTair (UT, Khanty-Mansiysk) are the only scheduled Russian carriers to serve Ukraine.

Russia has labelled the move "madness" promising a strong response.

In the meantime, Ukraine has also banned all Russian airlines and aircraft from transiting its airspace should they "contain military combat equipment, dual purpose equipment, or Russian military personnel."

The move is in retaliation for Russia's alleged support for rebels in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine where a civil war has been raging since April 2014.

Earlier this month, Kiev published its revised military doctrine in which it named Russian aggression as the biggest threat to Ukraine's national security and stability.