On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU Council adopted a new sanctions package targeting Russian aviation, further tightening restrictions on air travel connected to Russia.
The latest measures extend the existing flight ban to third-country carriers conducting domestic flights within Russia or supplying aviation goods to Russian airlines or for domestic flights in Russia.
Under the new sanctions, airlines found violating these restrictions will be blacklisted, preventing them from flying to EU member states. This move aims to curb indirect support for Russian aviation operations and prevent the circumvention of existing bans.
Ban on Russian Aviation Infrastructure
In addition to the expanded flight restrictions, the EU has imposed a full transaction ban on specific Russian aviation infrastructures, including:
- Two major Moscow airports: Vnukovo Airport and Zhukovsky Airport
- Four regional airports (names not disclosed in the initial statement)
This measure is expected to disrupt logistics and international operations at these key Russian airports, further limiting their global connectivity.
