MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. Ukraine has made a unilateral decision to conduct missile launches near Crimea, close to routes used by civilian and government aircraft, the Russian civil aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said.

"In violation of all international agreements Ukraine has made a unilateral decision to conduct missile launches in Russia’s sovereign airspace in the Simferopol flight information region (FIR). On November 24, 2016 Ukraine issued a notification (Notice to Airmen - NOTAM) on activating risky airspace zones in connection with missile launches due on December 1 and 2, 2016," Rosaviatsiya told TASS.

Risky zones

According to Rosaviatsiya, "one risky zone" will be effective from 09:00 to 19:00 Moscow time on December 1 and 2 at all altitudes to incorporate part of airspace over the high seas within the zone of Russia’s area of responsibility (the Simferopol center).

The other risky zone will be effective from 12:30 to 14:30 Moscow time on December 1, 2016 and from 11:00 to 15:00 Moscow time on December 2, 2016 at all altitudes to incorporate part of the airspace over the high seas within Russia’s area of responsibility (the Simferopol center) and also airspace over Russia’s territorial waters (with a maximum depth of 12 kilometers).

"The issue of these NOTAMs has not been agreed with the Russian authorities concerned or the Russian provider of air navigation services, although the routes of both civilian and government aircraft lie through these zones," Rosaviatsiya said.

Civil aviation flights over Crimea

Russia will ban flights over the Crimea, unless Ukraine cancels its decision to hold missile firing drills over the Black Sea peninsula, Russian aviation watchdog spokesman Sergei Izvolsky told Rossiya-24 TV Channel.

"No flights will be performed in the banned areas, if Ukraine does not cancel its decision," the spokesman said.