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British authorities searching Russian plane in London without giving reason is provocation - Moscow British authorities searching Russian plane in London without giving reason is provocation - Moscow
(35 minutes later)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the search of a Russian airliner in a London airport, calling it another provocation by the British authorities against Moscow. A plane by Russia's Aeroflot has been searched by British authorities at London Heathrow airport who gave no reason for the examination. Russia’s Foreign Ministry called it "provocation" as international rules were breached.
The British police went aboard an Aeroflot plane, which arrived from Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow to the British capital on Thursday. The officers said they needed to inspect the plane without explaining the reasons for the action and demanded the crew to leave the plane, Interfax reported. The Russian pilots refused to abandon the aircraft as it’s against regulations to inspect an aircraft in the absence of the crew.  The British police went aboard an Aeroflot plane, which arrived from Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow to the British capital on Thursday. The officers said they needed to inspect the plane without explaining the reasons for the action and demanded the crew to leave the plane. The captain refused to abandon the aircraft as it’s against regulations to inspect an aircraft in the absence of the crew. Yet the authorities proceeded with the search without releasing the commander from his cabin.
“We’re speaking of another provocation by the British authorities,” Maria Zakharova, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said, commenting on a search performed aboard an Aeroflot carrier plane in the British capital.  “We’re speaking of another provocation by the British authorities,” Maria Zakharova, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said, commenting on a search performed aboard an Aeroflot carrier plane in the British capital. “The behavior of the UK police clearly indicates the desire to conduct some kind of manipulations on board without witnesses." 
Zakharova said that the UK police are denying the Russian captain his right to observe the search carried out aboard his aircraft. “The British authorities asked the Russian crew, including the captain, to leave the plane. The commander of the aircraft proposed the inspection to be conducted in his presence as he’s forbidden from leaving the plane in accordance with the regulations. At the moment, the police proceed with the search without releasing the commander from the cabin and preventing him from being  present during the inspection,” she said. The spokeswoman suggested  the British authorities needed this "provocation" to save their "reputation, which was heavily undermined by the so-called Skripal case.”  The relations between Moscow and London hit a new low after the UK accused Russia of poisoning double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter without any proof or waiting for the end of the investigation.
“The behavior of the UK police clearly indicates the desire to conduct some kind of manipulations on board without witnesses," Zakharova told Rossiya 24 channel. She called London’s actions "unacceptable, dangerous and irresponsible,” urging the international community to give them a proper evaluation. She added that Russian embassy staff was heading to the airport where the search of the plane took place.
The spokeswoman suggested that “yet another provocation was needed by the British authorities in order to save its reputation, which was heavily undermined by the so-called Skripal case.” Like this story? Share it with a friend!
"We demand the UK authorities to return the situation into the legal field and abandon provocative behavior," she said, adding that Russian embassy staff was heading to the airport where the search of the plane took place.
She called London’s actions "unacceptable, dangerous and irresponsible,” urging the international community to give them a proper evaluation.
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