Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

UKRAINE

Italy prepares to close airspace to Russian planes

Italy said on Sunday it would close its airspace to Russia flights, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Published: 27 February 2022 13:32 CET
Italy prepares to close airspace to Russian planes
The Russian presidential plane Iljuschin Il-96. More EU countries are moving to ban Russian aircraft from its airspace. (Photo by ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE / POOL / AFP)

“Italy is closing its airspace to Russia,” a government spokesman said in a brief statement, shortly after other European countries such as Germany, Sweden and Denmark announced similar measures.

The measure starts from 3pm Italy time on Sunday, Palazzo Chigi confirmed.

Italy joins other European countries in stepping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Luxembourg, Belgium and Poland have closed their airspace to Russian flights, forcing westbound Russian planes to make enormous diversions.

EXPLAINED: How Italy could be impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Swedish EU Minister Hans Dahlgren said that beyond individual European countries shutting off their airspace to Russian aircraft, closing the whole of European airspace is on the table.

EU leaders will meet again later today to discuss the latest package of sanctions against Russia.

Member comments

  1. Sidebar: The aircraft in the photo is a Russian made Ilyushin Il-96, which is an older aircraft mostly used in Cuba now.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

UKRAINE

Italy warns against ‘rash’ moves over arms to Ukraine

Italy's foreign minister on Saturday reiterated his opposition to Ukraine using Italian weapons inside Russia, warning of a "delicate" situation where "rash" moves must be avoided.

Published: 1 June 2024 14:17 CEST
Italy warns against 'rash' moves over arms to Ukraine

Support is growing among NATO allies for allowing Ukraine to use Western-donated weapons to strike inside Russian territory – but Rome, a founding member of the alliance, remains opposed.

“It is a very delicate moment, we must not make false steps” and must avoid “rash steps and declarations”, Antonio Tajani told a meeting in Rapallo, northwest Italy, according to the AGI and ANSA news agencies.

He added that “even the US has not authorised the indiscriminate use of its weapons against Russia, but only to strike a base from where the drones depart. They too are very cautious”, AGI reported.

Tajani added that Italy would send another package of aid to Ukraine within “weeks”.

But he repeated that “we will not send even one Italian soldier to fight in Ukraine because we are not at war with Russia”, AGI reported.

Germany said on Friday it had given Ukraine permission to fire German-delivered weapons at targets in Russia.

READ ALSO: Berlin allows Ukraine to fire German weapons at targets in Russia

The day before, US officials said Washington had partially lifted similar restrictions to allow Ukraine to defend its eastern Kharkiv region, which borders Russia.

The change in Washington’s thinking was attributed by US officials to Russia’s daily pounding of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest city.

Russia fired a combined 100 missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight, in a barrage that targeted energy sites across the country, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday.

SHOW COMMENTS