Photo: TASS / Maksim Grigoryev
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis in Europe, multiple structures of the EU have demonstrated that they are not capable and not interested in dealing with the real problems of EU member states. They are mostly concerned with keeping the national governments under own control, sucking money of national states and selling European interestes to the global establishment. The myth about the so-called ‘European’ or ‘Euro-Atlantic’ unity was also destroyed by the reality. However, the situation seems to be even worse.
Aleksey Pushkov, a Russian Senator and a former chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said on March 23 that Poland had refused to let Russian IL-76 military aircraft carrying aid to coronovirus-hit Italy use its airspace.
“Poland did not let Russian aircraft carrying aid to Italy pass through its airspace. This is meanness at the level of public policy. Moreover, the help was for an ally of Poland in the EU and NATO. From now on, Russia should not meet Poland half-way, on any issue,” he wrote.
Польша не пропустила российские самолеты с помощью для Италии через свое воздушное пространство. Это подлость на уровне государственной политики. Тем более, что помощь шла в страну-союзницу Польши по ЕС и НАТО. России ни в чем не следует отныне идти навстречу Польше. Ни в чем.
— Алексей Пушков (@Alexey_Pushkov) March 23, 2020
Pushkov was not the only who noted that Russian aircraft delivering medical aid to Poland flies to Italy via a long route. They were forced to make a detour, having to travel at least 3,000km more than if routed through Polish airspace.
Il giro dell'aereo russo di aiuto per l'Italia. 9 paesi UE hanno proibito sorvolo. pic.twitter.com/AufdXelqDW
— maurizio gustinicchi (@gustinicchi) March 23, 2020
An Ilyushin Il-76 from Russian Aerospace Forces is en route from Moscow to Rome with medical help to Italy. This is just one flight out of nine flights expected.https://t.co/iRRmx9aDB5 pic.twitter.com/yzGKcCX4q9
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 23, 2020
The senator’s statement has not been confirmed by either the Polish authorities or the Russian Defence Ministry. There is a chance that the Russian side opted to use the longer route to deliver medial aid to Italy by instant reasons.
Since March 22, the Russian Defense Ministry has sent at least 14 flights of IL-76 military transport aircraft with dozens pieces of medical equipment, and hundreds of medics and viral agent defense specialists to Italy. The Russian COVID-19 response team is now actively engaged in containing the outbreak in the country.
