Direct flights between Russia, Ukraine stopped as mutual ban takes effect

Passengers of Russia's S7 airlines board for the last flight between Ukraine and Russia, in Borispil airport in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. (AP / Sergei Chuzavkov)

MOSCOW - Direct flights between Russia and Ukraine have stopped as a result of continuing tensions over Russia's annexation of Crimea and backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Travellers between the two nations will now have to fly through another country, take the overnight train or drive.

Olga Soboleva arrived in Moscow on the last flight from Kyiv before the mutual ban went into effect on Sunday.

She criticized the decision to ban the flights, saying "I hope that common sense will win this political game and everything will be fixed. This is so sad."

Ukraine announced in late September that it was barring Russian airlines from flying to Ukraine as of Oct. 25, in accordance with sanctions on Russia.

Russia announced a reciprocal ban a few days later.