Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has criticized the decision made by the Ukrainian authorities to discontinue flights between Russia and Ukraine.

"The flights by all airlines to Russia and Ukraine have been discontinued on the Ukrainian government's initiative. It's a fine example that shows that the Ukrainian top officials are fighting their own people: three-fourths of the passengers were Ukrainians. It's a strong act!" the prime minister said on Facebook on Sunday.

According to earlier reports, flights between Ukraine and Russia stooped at 00:00 Moscow time on October 25 after the sides imposed mutual sanctions on airlines.

In September 2015, the Ukrainian administration found Russian airlines to breach the Ukrainian legislation by flying to Crimea. On the basis of a presidential decree, the Ukrainian administration made a decision to ban 25 Russian airlines from flying to Ukraine from October 25, 2015. Russia responded by taking symmetrical measures and banning Ukrainian airlines from flying to Russia from October 25, 2015.

According to an earlier report released by Rosaviatsiya, negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations on air services issues were held in Brussels on October 23. In that meeting, Russia suggested that Ukraine not impose a ban on flights between the two countries. However, the sides never reached an agreement. On the same day, Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarsky said at the Ukrainian-German Business Forum in Berlin that the sanctions would take effect on October 25 despite the consultations.