Russian planes that stray into British airspace could be detained by the British government, the transport secretary announced on Tuesday.
Grant Shapps said he had made it a criminal offence for any Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace, as the government scrambles to sanction Russia for its brutal war on Ukraine.
He tweeted: “I have made it a criminal offence for ANY Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace and now HMG can detain these jets.
“We will suffocate [Vladimir] Putin’s cronies’ ability to continue living as normal while thousands of innocent people die.”
He also published a letter, sent to all UK airports and airfields, outlining the new measures, including giving air traffic control powers to “issue directions to a pilot or operator of a Russian aircraft not to enter UK airspace, or to leave it by a certain route”.
It read: “The aviation sector is fundamental to connectivity and international trade and we must play our part in restricting Russia’s economic interests and holding the Russian government to account.
“In these circumstances the Department for Transport does not consider it appropriate for Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace or land at UK airports.”
Most European nations, including the UK, closed airspace to Russian aircraft last week in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The closures have left Russian airlines facing an almost complete blockade from flying west over Europe after they were barred from the airspace of nearly 30 countries.
Airlines from many of those countries, including the UK, now face higher fuel costs and longer journey times on flights to Asia and beyond after Russia retaliated by banning their carriers from its airspace.
