The departure of a private helicopter from Kaunas, Lithuania, to Pskov, Russia, has been suspended, the Lithuanian transport safety authority LTSA said. The reason for the decision of the office was to be suspected of violating international sanctions. Data collected by journalists from the state-owned Lithuanian broadcaster LRT indicate that Lithuanian airspace is used to bring private planes from Europe to Russia.
In the likely scheme of circumventing the sanctions imposed on Russia because of her invasion Ukrainewhich LRT revealed last week, is attended by a Lithuanian pilot and a Russian entrepreneur of Kazakh origin, doing business at Lithuania. The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Lithuania considered the situation to be regrettable and asked the EU institutions for help.
The details of the helicopter flight, which the LTSA reported detaining on Monday, are being reviewed by authorities.
SEE ALSO: Attack on Ukraine. Live coverage on tvn24.pl
“UP-RB008’s flight details and all information relating to the aircraft are currently being evaluated by the authorities responsible for implementing international sanctions,” the LTSA said in a press release. Until it is determined whether the helicopter flight would result in a violation of the sanctions, the helicopter will remain in Lithuania.
The helicopter flew out of Latvia
For now, it is known that the helicopter left on Friday from Latvia and on the same day he arrived in Lithuania. The owner of the helicopter informed the LTSA that it was intended to reach Astana, the capital Kazakhstan.
The EU prohibits the granting of permission to land, take off or overfly the territory of the Member States to all Russian air carriers and aircraft registered in Russia or owned, chartered or otherwise controlled by Russian natural or legal persons.
Main photo source: Shutterstock