<p>Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland Sunday said they would close their airspace to Russian planes, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions over Moscow invading Ukraine.</p>.<p>Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, "is preparing to close its airspace to Russian air traffic," Transport Minister Timo Harakka wrote in an overnight tweet.</p>.<p>He did not state when the measure would take effect.</p>.<p>Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Twitter his country too would "be closing its airspace for Russian aircraft".</p>.<p>"At today's meeting of EU ministers of foreign affairs we will push for an EU-wide ban," Kofod said.</p>.<p>Sweden and Iceland also said they were closing off their skies to Russian planes.</p>.<p>Sweden's Minister of EU Affairs said a Europe-wide ban would be the most efficient.</p>.<p>"We want it to be done as soon as possible, and the best and fastest way would be that it be done at European level," he told the TT news agency.</p>.<p>Finland, Sweden and Denmark are EU members, but Iceland is not.</p>.<p>Already a number of other EU countries -- such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany and Poland -- have closed their airspace to Russian flights, forcing westbound Russian planes to make enormous diversions.</p>.<p>Moscow, for its part, has also banned planes from those countries from flying over its territory.</p>.<p>Finland's flag carrier, Finnair, specialises in flights between Europe and Asia that fly over Russia, but its services are currently limited because of Asian entry restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p>Finland is also scheduled to approve the dispatch of a consignment of bullet-proof vests, helmets and a mobile hospital to Ukraine.</p>.<p>Helsinki has also approved the shipment of around 40 artillery guns to Ukraine.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland Sunday said they would close their airspace to Russian planes, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions over Moscow invading Ukraine.</p>.<p>Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, "is preparing to close its airspace to Russian air traffic," Transport Minister Timo Harakka wrote in an overnight tweet.</p>.<p>He did not state when the measure would take effect.</p>.<p>Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Twitter his country too would "be closing its airspace for Russian aircraft".</p>.<p>"At today's meeting of EU ministers of foreign affairs we will push for an EU-wide ban," Kofod said.</p>.<p>Sweden and Iceland also said they were closing off their skies to Russian planes.</p>.<p>Sweden's Minister of EU Affairs said a Europe-wide ban would be the most efficient.</p>.<p>"We want it to be done as soon as possible, and the best and fastest way would be that it be done at European level," he told the TT news agency.</p>.<p>Finland, Sweden and Denmark are EU members, but Iceland is not.</p>.<p>Already a number of other EU countries -- such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany and Poland -- have closed their airspace to Russian flights, forcing westbound Russian planes to make enormous diversions.</p>.<p>Moscow, for its part, has also banned planes from those countries from flying over its territory.</p>.<p>Finland's flag carrier, Finnair, specialises in flights between Europe and Asia that fly over Russia, but its services are currently limited because of Asian entry restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p>Finland is also scheduled to approve the dispatch of a consignment of bullet-proof vests, helmets and a mobile hospital to Ukraine.</p>.<p>Helsinki has also approved the shipment of around 40 artillery guns to Ukraine.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>