Russia's Aeroflot Adjusts Schedule Of 5 Flights Over Closure Of Pakistani Airspace

Russian flagship air carrier Aeroflot has adjusted time of departure of five flights due to the closure of Pakistani airspace after an aerial incident over the disputed Kashmir region, the company said in a statement on its website

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2019) Russian flagship air carrier Aeroflot has adjusted time of departure of five flights due to the closure of Pakistani airspace after an aerial incident over the disputed Kashmir region, the company said in a statement on its website.

"Due to the closure of Pakistani air space Aeroflot has made changes to its schedule of 27 and 28 February," the statement said.

According to the statement, the company adjusted its schedule for flights from Sheremetyevo Airport to Beijing, Shanghai and Bangkok and from Phuket island to the airport on Wednesday. The time of the flight from Delhi to Sheremetyevo Airport on Thursday was also changed.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Foreign Ministry said a Pakistani jet was shot down in an aerial incident over the disputed Kashmir region, adding that India also lost one Mig-21 aircraft. The Pakistani army said it had downed two Indian jets that crossed the so-called Line of Control (LoC) separating the Indian-and Pakistani-controlled parts of the Kashmir region.

One injured pilot was sent to a hospital to receive necessary medical help and another pilot is in custody, according to the Pakistani military.

Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalated on February 14 when a car carrying over 100 Pounds of explosives was detonated next to a security convoy, killing 45 Indian paramilitary officers. India named Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group residing in Pakistan, as the person responsible for ordering the attack and accused Pakistan of harboring and protecting terrorists.

Pakistan has rejected the allegations of its involvement in the attack and in return has accused India of being responsible for human rights violations taking place in the disputed Kashmir region.