British Transport Minister Grant Shapps announced on Saturday that British authorities have detained another plane for the clarification, suspected to have “links to Russia”.

As part of the sanctions imposed on Russia over its attack on Ukraine, the UK closed its airspace and airports to all aircraft owned, operated or leased by Russians, and subsequently reinforced the ban by introducing such aircraft into British airspace as a crime.

Shapps did not reveal any details such as where the plane landed or who it might belong to.

This is the second aircraft to be grounded in the UK under these sanctions. A private plane linked to Russian oligarch Yevgeny Szweidler was hijacked at Farnborough Airport last week. The plane was due to arrive in Great Britain on March 3, by which time the ban was already in effect. He was arrested on his flight to the United Arab Emirates. Szwidler, the oil tycoon, personally is not subject to British sanctions. (PAP)

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