FAA Bars Russian Citizens From Flying Planes Over US Airspace

The United States on Thursday banned Russian citizens who own or lease aircraft from flying them over U.S. airspace, Defense One reports.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued a Notice to Air Missions stating that ''all aircraft, regardless of the state of registry, owned, chartered, leased, operated or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of the Russian Federation are prohibited from operating to, from, with or through U.S. territorial airspace, except for aircraft engaged in humanitarian or SAR [search and rescue] operation specifically authorized by the FAA.''

The move is a step beyond President Joe Biden's announcement on Tuesday banning Russian airlines from U.S. airspace. Under the new order, no Russian citizen can pilot any plane over U.S. airspace, with the exception of Russian flights that have diplomatic clearance from the State Department or an aircraft having an in-flight emergency.

Any aircraft that does not comply ''may be intercepted, and their pilots and other crew members detained and interviewed by law enforcement or security personnel,'' according to the notice.

The move comes amid increasing pressure from the United States and other world governments and private industry to pressure Russia to withdraw from Ukraine, which it invaded one week ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday that the war was going ''according to plan,'' and that the situation would get worse if Ukraine does not submit to his plan.

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