MOSCOW (Reuters) - Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said on Friday that Russia would be forced to take retaliatory measures after Ukraine banned Russian airlines, the Interfax news agency reported.

The Ukrainian government said earlier on Friday it would ban flights by Russian airlines from Oct. 25 as part of a wave of sanctions against Russia over its support for separatists in the east of the country.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Osborn)