"Create a level playing field": Lukashenko threatened to ban flights from Ukraine

Belarus is considering the possibility of refusing to accept aircraft flying through the airspace of Ukraine as a response to Kiev's decision to close the flight over its territory for the Belarusian side.

On Saturday, June 19, President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko announced the discussion of the introduction of such a measure.

During his visit to the 2nd City Children's Clinical Hospital of Minsk, the head of state noted: “You see how disgusting Ukraine has acted.

We are rescuing here and we will rescue their people - the people are not guilty of anything, but they have closed the passage for us ”.

According to the president, now Belarusian airlines have to make a 40-45-minute detour, flying around the territory of Ukraine, in order to get, for example, to Turkey or Egypt.

“Other airlines, Turkish ones, are flying directly so far.

Although we are in dialogue now.

Since Ukraine has closed our flight, we from Ukraine will not simply accept planes, ”Lukashenka said.

“We need to create equal conditions for our Belavia aircraft.

If we fly this way, then we will force others to fly this way to Belarus, ”concluded Lukashenka.

Recall that on May 25, Kiev announced its decision to suspend flights with Belarus.

Later, Ukraine also banned Belarusian aircraft from using its airspace.

The formal reason for these measures was the incident with the Ryanair airline, which was following the Athens-Vilnius route.

On May 23, the liner urgently landed at the Minsk airport.

The aviation department of the Ministry of Transport of Belarus reported that a message had been received by e-mail at the airport, which contained a threat of mining the plane.

To escort the Ryanair board, a MiG-29 fighter of the Armed Forces of the republic took off into the air.

After the plane landed in Minsk, Roman Protasevich, the founder of the NEXTA Telegram channel recognized as extremist in the republic, was detained on board.

In Belarus, he is considered to be involved in terrorist activities.

Together with him, a Russian woman Sophia Sapega was detained.

Also on russian.rt.com Bypassing Ukraine: Lukashenko announced the study of the issue of opening flights between Belarus and Crimea

An RT source at the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, commenting on the position voiced by Lukashenko, stated that in recent years, many Ukrainians have flown to Moscow and other Russian cities through Minsk.

“This route was the most optimal.

Airlines operated several of these flights a day, "the source said.

“Now it has become much more difficult and significantly more expensive to get to Moscow, since many European countries accept tourists with either two doses of the vaccine or with negative PCR tests, even during a transplant.

Well, imagine, first you have to fly, let's say, from Kiev to Istanbul, and then to Moscow, ”he added.

In turn, a RT source in the office of the President of Ukraine doubted that the improvement in relations between the countries will occur before the change of power in Belarus: "Kiev is guided by the mood of Western partners, and they criticize Lukashenko."

Diplomatic relations

Against the background of the aggravation of relations between Minsk and Kiev, a bill was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada on the termination of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with the exception of issues that relate to refugees and political prisoners.

The document, in particular, says that Kiev refuses to recognize the results of the August 2020 presidential elections in Belarus and condemns violence against protesters.

In addition, earlier the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned Minsk for permission to investigate actions carried out by representatives of the Lugansk People's Republic with Roman Protasevich - the KGB of Belarus reported that he took part in hostilities in Donbass as part of the Azov battalion.

An RT source in the Ukrainian Servant of the People party noted that the Ukrainian leadership "is good at quarreling with its neighbors."

“We already have bad relations with Russia, difficult ones with Hungary, and now also with Belarus.

There are not so many countries left to quarrel with, and Ukraine will be isolated.

All this also demonstrates that there is no independent foreign policy in the country and all decisions are made on the orders of some influential embassies.

And even if it is unprofitable for Ukraine itself and its citizens, ”said the interlocutor of RT.