SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine, Mar 11 (AFP): Pro-Kremlin militants on Tuesday ordered a suspension of all flights in or out of Crimea's main airport in Simferopol except those connecting to Moscow, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
Militants have taken over air traffic control at the airport and a flight that took off from Kiev on Tuesday was forced to turn back to the capital after being refused permission to land.
A militia member, Ivan, who declined to give his surname, told AFP: "Air traffic control has been taken over, as well as the runway".
He said the move was aimed at preventing activists from Kiev from coming to Crimea.
Airport officials were not available for comment, as militants were preventing their access to journalists.
Ukraine International Airlines said on its website that flights between Kiev and Simferopol on Tuesday and Wednesday had been cancelled "due to airspace restrictions".
All flights to Crimea airport suspended except from Moscow
FE Team | Published: March 12, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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