Russia hits back at Europe over flight ban

Russia has banned airlines from 36 countries from using its airspace in a tit-for-tat response to Western sanctions.

The country said it will stop flights from nations including Germany, Spain, Italy and Canada.

Russia had already barred UK airlines from flying to and across the region after Britain banned national airline Aeroflot from landing in the UK.

On Sunday, Europe shut its skies to Russian owned or controlled planes.

The announcement means all planes , including the private jets of oligarchs, will now be unable to land in, take off from or fly over any EU nation.

It is one of a number of sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.