Russia threatens to ‘shut down airspace’ if EU imposes tougher sanctions

Russia has warned that it will hit back against the West if tougher sanctions are imposed over the conflict in Ukraine—as a shaky ceasefire in the region holds. Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev blamed countries backing Ukraine for damaging the Russian economy with “stupid” sanctions and suggested Moscow could retaliate by stopping flights over Russian airspace. Medvedev told Vedomosti newspaper Russia may have been too patient in responding to sanctions imposed so far by the U.S. and EU over the Kremlin’s role in Ukraine—and warned the mistake would not be repeated.

If Western carriers have to bypass our airspace, this could drive many struggling airlines into bankruptcy. We just hope our partners realise this at some point.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

A new package of EU-agreed sanctions, which would hit oil and gas giants Rosneft and Gazprom, is due to come into force on Monday but could be suspended if Russia is judged to be working toward a resolution of the Ukraine conflict. A ceasefire agreed on Friday by envoys from Ukraine, the leadership of pro-Russian separatists fighting Kiev government forces, Russia and Europe’s OSCE security watchdog has been tested by fighting in eastern Ukraine. OSCE chair Thomas Greminger said on Monday that the truce was holding, although “it is still shaky”.

We will not give up this land to anybody.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, speaking on a visit to Mariupol