Bloomberg reveals how Russian Federation Council head entered Switzerland despite EU sanctions
Valentina Matviyenko, Head of the Russian Federation Council (photo: Getty Images)
Chairwoman of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko was able to enter Switzerland because her plane was allowed passage by France and Italy, Bloomberg reports.
According to flight tracking services, Matviyenko's plane was headed to Geneva via Turkish airspace, the Mediterranean Sea, and Italy, and after her visit ended, it returned to Moscow, flying over Italy and France.
Unnamed sources told the publication that Italian authorities allowed Matviyenko's plane to enter their airspace following a request from Switzerland. Before granting permission, Rome consulted with Paris, which also received an overflight request.
A spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, commenting on the scandal, said the Swiss government may allow exceptions to the flight ban on Russian aircraft imposed by sanctions, "particularly if the individual is traveling to participate in an international conference."
"Exemptions are provided, in particular, for flights carried out for humanitarian, medical, or diplomatic purposes," the spokesperson added.
Matviyenko flew to Switzerland to participate in the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament in Geneva. There, she defended Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.
The EU banned Russian aircraft from entering its airspace just days after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Reaction of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to Matviyenko's visit
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi emphasized that the head of Russia's Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, has no place in Switzerland, as her hands are stained with the blood of Ukrainians.
He stated that Matviyenko truly deserves only a visit to The Hague, and that Ukraine is already working on it.
