Lithuania closes its airspace to Russian airlines, ending direct flights to Kaliningrad exclave

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania will ban Russian airlines from using its airspace from 2200 GMT on Saturday, the government said, joining other European countries which have taken the same step following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lithuania is the shortest route from mainland Russia to its Kaliningrad exclave, sandwiched between NATO members Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic Sea's eastern coast. The ban would force Russian flights to take a longer detour via the Baltic Sea.

"No flights for aggressor planes in the freedom sky," Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte tweeted after a government meeting.

Russian forces pounded Ukrainian cities with artillery and cruise missiles on Saturday for a third day running.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/lithuania-closes-airspace-russian-airlines-172300172.html

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Death by a 1000 cuts....