Canada, Europe to Close Skies to Russian Planes

Canada, Europe to Close Skies to Russian Planes
File photo shows the an aircraft of Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot during a media presentation at Sheremetyevo International Airport outside Moscow on March 4, 2020. Rueters/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
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Canada and European nations moved on Sunday to shut their airspace to Russian aircraft, an unprecedented step aimed at pressuring President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

The ban on Russian jets comes as the airline industry continues to grapple with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic that is still undermining global demand for travel.