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The United States (US) Department of Transportation and its Federal Aviation Administration (US FAA) are issuing orders blocking Russian aircraft and airlines from entering and using all domestic US airspace.
The Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and regulatory orders will suspend operations of all aircraft owned, certified, operated, registered, chartered, leased, or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of Russia.
This would include passenger and cargo flights, and scheduled as well as charter flights, effectively closing US air space to all Russian commercial carriers and other Russian civil aircraft, according to the DoT statement.
Both orders are slated to be fully effective by the end of March 2, 2022.
"The United States stands with our allies and partners across the world in responding to Putin's unprovoked aggression against the people of Ukraine," said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The announcement from the US DoT came as President Joe Biden also mentioned the same restriction during his March 1 State of the Union address.
"And tonight I am announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American air space to all Russian flights – further isolating Russia – and adding an additional squeeze – on their economy," the US president said.
Aside from the US, the European Union (EU) has also earlier closed its airspace to Russia starting February 27 in response to the escalating armed conflict in Ukraine.
Ukraine's airspace was closed on February 24 during the breakout of the Russian attacks, while Russia closed its airspace to airlines from 36 countries – including all 27 members of the EU – on February 28.
The several airspace bans in place are expected to further put pressure on cargo operations as it means extended flying times and higher costs to operate services especially between Asia and Europe.
Aside from airspace bans, the shipping industry is also facing a similar squeeze with ports halting operations to/from Russia and Ukraine amid the conflict.
UK ports closed to Russian vessels
On February 28, the United Kingdom also requested that its ports not provide access to Russian vessels.
"Russia's assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state," said Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, UK's Secretary of State for Transport on his Twitter account.
"The maritime sector is fundamental to international trade and we must play our part in restricting Russia's economic interests and holding the Russian government to account," Shapps said. "In these circumstances the Department for Transport does not consider it appropriate for Russian vessels to continue to enter UK ports."
"From this point onwards, UK ports are asked not to provide access to any ship which they have reason to believe is: Owned, controlled, chartered, or operated by any person connected with Russia; Owned, controlled, chartered or operated by Designated Persons; Flying the Russian flag; Registered in Russia."
