Russia considers possible ban on Western airlines overflying its airspace

Moscow could retaliate against sanctions over the Ukraine crisis by banning Western airlines from Russian airspace, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has suggested, warning that the move could bankrupt some.

In comments reported yesterday, Medvedev said Moscow would respond "asymmetrically" if its critics pressed on with "the temptation to use force in international relations".

Medvedev told the Russian daily Vedomosti that a spiral of sanctions could lead to a breach in international security. "I hope that our Western partners don't want this and there are no mad people among those who make decisions."

Medvedev also drew parallels between Russia and China, which was targeted by what he said were similar Western sanctions over the crackdown by Chinese authorities on protesters in 1989.

"Now let's take a look. Did the development of the Chinese economy become worse? No," he said. "Did China feel punished? No. They simply mobilised internal resources. To a certain degree these sanctions were beneficial to China."

Blaming the West for damaging the Russian economy by triggering several rounds of "stupid" sanctions, Medvedev underlined Moscow's belief that it was occupying the higher ground in the worst confrontation with the West since the cold war.