Banned from flying by the EU, Russia had to make a 15,000km flight

Photo taken by FlightRadar, recording the flight to pick up Russian diplomats from Spain and Greece – Photo: FLIGHTRADAR

According to FlightRadarthe plane sent by Moscow to pick up the expelled diplomats was forced to fly more than 15,000km because of the European Union’s (EU) flight ban.

April 19, newspaper Guardian cited information from FlightRadarsaid the plane had picked up Russian diplomats in Spain and then in Greece earlier last week.

Earlier, on April 5, Spain announced the expulsion of 25 Russian diplomats and embassy staff from Madrid.

A day later, the Greek Foreign Ministry also asked 12 Russian diplomats to return home to protest Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

While both countries have one-time exceptions for Russian planes entering their airspace, other countries maintain bans on Russian flights.

“The total length of these flights is 15,163km, roughly equal to the current world’s longest flight between Singapore and New York City (USA),” FlightRadar announced.

The world’s longest non-stop flight from Singapore to New York City is currently 15,349km in length.

According to FlightRadar, the first flight from Moscow to Madrid (Spain) was quite roundabout. This route lasts 7,086km, while the usual length is only 3,409km.

To go from Madrid to the capital Athens (Greece), the plane continued to have to fly around North Africa and the Mediterranean to avoid the airspace of Malta and Italy. This route continues to be extended from 2,383km to 3,729km.

The flight back from Athens is relatively gentler. The plane flew through Turkish airspace because the country was still open to Russian planes.

However, after leaving Turkish airspace, the flight continued to avoid Russian airspace near Ukraine. This part of the airspace has been restricted to most flights since Russia’s “special military operation” began on February 24.

The last flight is 4,348km long, nearly double the usual 2,203km.

On February 27, the EU joined many countries in banning Russian planes from flying over this area, to protest Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. Russia then announced retaliatory measures, banning some European countries from accessing its airspace.

Since early March, Frederic Horst, chief executive officer of Cargo Facts Consulting, has warned that airlines carrying about 20% of the world’s cargo are affected by the bans.

The image is said to be Russia’s flagship Moscow before it sank

TTO – Photos and a short video appeared on social networks on April 18, showing a ship believed to be a Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva was badly damaged and caught on fire within a few hours, before when it sank in the Black Sea last week.