Russia Will Respond to European Bans on Air Travel, Will Consider Its Own Interests - Kremlin

On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces.

Russia will respond to European bans on air travel, will be guided by the principle of reciprocity and its own interests, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Of course, there will be answers. The guiding principle will be the principle of reciprocity. And, of course, our own interests will be put at the forefront," Peskov told reporters.

According to Dmitry Peskov, Russia has the necessary potential to compensate for the damage from the sanctions.

"These are heavy sanctions, they are problematic, but Russia has the necessary potential to compensate for the damage before these sanctions," Peskov said.

Russia, in response to Western sanctions, will do what is in its interests, Dmitry Peskov added.

"Russia's responses will be built mainly from the point of view of expediency and our own interests ... We will do what is in our interests," Peskov said, answering a question as to whether Russia would have a mirror response to the sanctions that were imposed against it.

On 21 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognising the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and on 24 February Russia launched a military operation to demilitarise Ukraine. In an address to citizens, Putin said that the circumstances "require decisive and immediate action", as the Donbass republics had asked for help.

In turn, the Russian Defence Ministry stressed that the Russian Armed Forces did not launch any strikes on the cities of Ukraine: its military infrastructure was disabled by high-precision means.

In response, Western countries have imposed anti-Russian sanctions. Many EU countries have announced the decision to close their airspace to Russian aircraft.