Egypt ignores US’s request to close airspace to Russian flights
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) — Egypt ignored the US’s request to close its airspace to Russian military flights to and from Syria, as Washington believes that Moscow may transfer weapons to be used in the war in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal revealed on Friday.
The Wall Street Journal said, citing US and Egyptian officials, that Egypt has not responded to the request.
The US and Ukraine requested countries including Turkey, Jordan and Iraq to cut access for at least some Russian military planes last year.
The US officials said that Russia had transferred weapons to Ukraine from Syria through its flights, according to the report.
The report also indicated that Russian flights have continued to Syria over Egyptian airspace in recent weeks.
In April, at least two flights by a giant Antonov An-124 cargo plane, which is large enough to carry vehicles and even tanks, went to Syria then returned to southern Russia’s Black Sea region, near Ukraine’s occupied Crimean Peninsula, the source said, citing flight records.
Reportedly, Russia depends on Syria in its war in Ukraine not just through transferring weapons but also it recruited Syrians to fight with Russia against Ukraine.
Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) revealed, in December 2022, that Syrian security companies continue to transfer fighters to Ukraine, “operating as proxies for the Russian Wagner Group.”