The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a new alert on Thursday warning non-European carriers not to fly within western Russia airspace due to the risk of being unintentionally targeted by its air-defence systems.

PARIS: The downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines airplane shows that flying over Russia poses a "high risk" to civilian flights amid the war in Ukraine, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said on Friday (Jan 10).

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recommended that airlines should not use Russian airspace for flights due to the risk of war-related incidents. The recommendation is valid until 31 July 2025 but may be revised earlier if necessary.

Airlines have been advised to stop flights to airports in the west and southwest of the aggressor country of russia due to its military aggression against

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency warned airlines to steer clear of several cities in Russia following the fatal crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet that was likely shot down by Russian forces.

Russia's Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures from 7:45 a.m. (0445 GMT) on Saturday to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said.

The European Aviation Safety Agency issued a bulletin warning airlines against flying over western Russia due to the risk of being shot down.

The crash, which killed 38 people, is believed to have been caused by Russian air defenses firing at Ukrainian drones. "The ongoing conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine poses the risk of civil aircraft being unintentionally targeted in the airspace of the Russian Federation due to possible civil-military coordination deficiencies,