Finland allows Russian civilian planes in its airspace due to stormy weather

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Finland has allowed Russian commercial airplanes through its airspace to avoid bad weather conditions caused by a thunderstorm front, local media reported on Thursday.

"The forced flights into Finnish airspace have been caused by a thunderstorm front, which has forced them to change their pre-planned flight path," Finnish airspace clearance authority Fintraffic said, according to public broadcaster YLE.

Noting that the crossings occurred within the past 24 hours, it noted that Russian and Belarusian civilian aircraft are allowed to use Finnish airspace only in emergencies.

Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsia) confirmed that three Russian planes flying over neutral waters crossed into the Finnish and Estonian airspace due to stormy weather.

Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, the EU has banned all Russian airlines from entering the bloc's airports and flying through its airspace. Finland has been part of the EU since 1995.