Moscow — China is closing its airspace to Russian Boeing and Airbus aircraft whose legal status is unclear since sanctions were imposed due to the war, according to a report.
The ban applies to aircraft whose legal status has not been clarified following Western sanctions, Russian news agency RBK reported on Friday. China demanded that Russian airlines prove that the aircraft were no longer registered abroad.
Beijing's move follows multiple rounds of sanctions Western governments imposed after the Kremlin began the war on Ukraine. The EU and US have banned the delivery of civilian aircraft and spare parts to Russia, their maintenance and insurance, due to the invasion that began on February 24. Many of the aircraft operated in Russia belong to Western leasing companies, which have stopped working with Russian contractors. Moscow refused to return the aircraft and simply re-registered the planes.
According to the report, China requested an update on the aircraft data in May, calling for confirmation from the Russian airlines flying to China that their aircraft were no longer officially listed abroad. Beijing withdrew the landing and overflight permits for the Boeing and Airbus aircraft when the documentation was not forthcoming, RBK reported.
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