Britain announced new aviation sanctions on Wednesday which give the power to detain any Russian aircraft and banning exports of aviation or space-related goods to Russia, saying it had already impounded one plane, according to Reuters.
The measures to strengthen action against Russian aircraft mean it is a criminal offence for any to fly or land in the United Kingdom.
The ban includes any aircraft owned, operated or chartered by anyone connected with Russia or designated individuals or entities, and will include the power to detain any aircraft owned by persons connected with Russia, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Banning Russian flagged planes from the UK and making it a criminal offence to fly them will inflict more economic pain on Russia and those close to the Kremlin,” said foreign minister Liz Truss.
The foreign office said it would lay new legislation on Wednesday to implement the measures, which also include a power to remove from the British aircraft register any aircraft belonging to sanctioned Russian individuals and entities.
Transport minister Grant Shapps said one aircraft had already been impounded while further investigations were carried out. The Telegraph newspaper reported that the private jet was linked to a friend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
“We know that it isn’t a Russian company that holds the aircraft, it’s rather a Luxembourg registered aircraft. We are carrying out further checks before releasing it,” Shapps told LBC radio.
The new sanctions will also prevent aviation and space related exports including insurance and re-insurance.
This will mean cover is withdrawn on existing policies and British-based insurers and reinsurers will be unable to pay claims on existing policies in these sectors, the statement said.
Shortly after President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, all Russian aircraft — commercial and private — were banned from EU airspace.