Almost six months after the closure of the EU airspace for Russian airplanes, ten aircraft owned or controlled by Russia are still in Germany, Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on Sunday, citing the German Ministry of Transport.
“Since the planes are subject to a take-off and flight ban due to the EU sanctions regime, they cannot be used by the owner and cannot be taken to another location,” the ministry was quoted as saying.
According to the report, there are three Russian Antonov AN-124 machines on the ground in Leipzig, a Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 and a Boeing 737 in Cologne, and a Boeing 747 in Frankfurt-Hahn. Another four aircraft are in Baden-Baden: a Cessna 750 Citation X, two Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600 and a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS.
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU closed its airspace for Russian airplanes in late February.
Here are the other main headlines from the war in Ukraine on August 14.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine will target those who target or use Zaporizhzhia as a shield
On Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “every Russian soldier” who shoots at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or attempts to use it as a shield “must understand that he is becoming a special target for our intelligence and special services, for our army.”
He has also called on the West to impose sanctions against Russia’s nuclear industry in the wake of the fighting over the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of firing on the plant following a series of recent incidents where the plant was shelled. Russia captured Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, in March shortly after it launched its full-scale invasion on February 24.
G7 nations have called for a withdrawal of Russia’s forces from the plant, a request Russia has already rejected.
More on the war in Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Office has said if the US seizes its assets, it could lead to a total breakdown in bilateral relations. Read this story and more from Saturday here.
dh/dj (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)
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