Moscow demanded to explain the refusal to skip Russian planes to Syria – RBC

Bulgaria and Greece should provide an explanation for the refusal to provide an air corridor for the passage of Russian planes to Syria. With this statement in an interview with Interfax gave Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, President’s Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov.

«If you have any doubts about someone, in this case, our Greek and Bulgarian partners they, of course, have to explain what the problem is, “- quoted as saying Bogdanov.

The deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry also commented on the information that Sofia could decide to ban the passage of the Russian Military Transport Aviation under US pressure. “If it is just that they take certain restrictive or prohibitive measures at the request of the Americans, it raises the question as to their sovereign right to make certain decisions about the intersection of their airspace by planes of other countries, in particular Russia, in the the understanding that we explain where, for what purpose and cargo fly our airplanes, “- he added.

On Tuesday, September 8, it became known that Bulgaria closed its airspace to planes of the Russian military -Transportation aircraft bound for Syria. The solution, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, was made in the output.

The representative of the Office explained that the prohibition by the presence of doubt about the nature of goods that Russia was going to carry through its airspace to Syria. “We have enough information to seriously question the nature of the cargo on the aircraft, which is the reason for the failure”, – quotes its words of Reuters.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece on Monday confirmed Reuters, that the country received a request from the United States with a request not to give permission to fly Russian aircraft with a cargo to Syria. At the same time representative of the department said that the request is still pending. Athens said Tuesday that Russia will deliver the goods to Syria eastern route.

Last weekend, the United States expressed its concern about reports of interference of Moscow in the Syrian conflict. In particular, this US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. According to Kerry if the messages on the strengthening of the Russian military presence in Syria untrue, it can lead to a further escalation of the conflict and large losses, including among the civilian population.