Nearly Two Dozen Countries Forbidding Russian Airlines From Using Airspace

Russian businesses are paying a hefty price for president Vladimir Putin's decision to launch an attack on Ukraine. The latest example impacts Russia above the ground, as 20 European nations are now forbidding Russian airlines from using their airspace.

That can be massively costly when it comes to fuel and man hours.

Per MSN: "About half of the countries announced the move on Sunday, ahead of an extraordinary meeting of European foreign ministers to discuss further measures to support Ukraine and punish Moscow. Other countries, including Estonia and Romania, had previously announced their intention to ban Russian flights."

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo tweeted about his nation's decision.

“Our European skies are open skies,” De Croo said. “They’re open for those who connect people, not for those who seek to brutally aggress.”

Belgium joined Italy, Norway, France, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands in indicating Sunday they would move to close their airspace to Russian flights.

 "Effective immediately, Canada’s airspace is closed to all Russian aircraft operators," Canada’s minister of transport, Omar Alghabra, said. "We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks against Ukraine.”

MSN added, "While many of Ukraine’s allies have moved to ban Russian flights from their own airspace, there appears to be little appetite for a no-fly zone over the country, a measure previously requested by Ukrainian officials. When asked about it on Friday, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said enforcing a no-fly zone would mean putting British pilots in the line of fire and would be tantamount to a declaration of war."