France asks its nationals to leave Russia, Belarus immediately

PARIS, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Due to the closure of European Union airspace to Russia, French Foreign Affairs Ministry asked on Sunday its nationals to leave immediately Russia.

"Due to the increasing restrictions on air traffic between Russia and Europe, it is strongly recommended that non-resident French nationals in Russia make arrangements to leave the country without delay by existing air links," the French ministry said in the latest travelling notice.

According to the ministry, most European companies, including Air France, have suspended from this Sunday evening flights in and out of Russia after the European Union has decided to close its airspace to Russia.

In a second travelling notice concerning Belarus, the ministry also asked its nationals to leave immediately Belarus though land borders.

"The French in Belarus are invited to leave the country without delay by road, via the border crossing points with Lithuania, Poland or Latvia," it said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday that the EU would shut its airspace to Russian airlines in response to Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine since early Thursday.