Sanctions hit Russian travellers

Russian airlines are starting to feel pain caused by international sanctions. CNN's Phil Black reports from Moscow.

R is run by Russia's national carrier, Aeroflight is the country's first and recently launched budget airline, now it is the first high profile casualty deescalating sanction, targeting * crisis in Ukraine, this is the direct result the latest round of sanction announced by the European Union last week, the EU says it targeted this ariline because it flies to Crimea, and so it's facilitating the illegal annexation of that territory, it says it's continuing to undermine the sovereignty of Ukraine. Aeroflight says as a result of this European partners have started pulling out of deals for maintenance, insurance, leasing and navigation services, it describes the pressure as unprecedented, and says it has no choice but to cancel flights and ticket sales, this is significant because it is the first major Russian operation to throw up a tant and say it can not go on because of sanctions, up until now entities and individuals targeted by sanctions have effectively shrugged them off, sound warn them as a badge of honour, all say they will be able to continue operating normally, or be it perhaps with some inconvenience, one recent admission of inconvenience comes from the Russian billionaire G, said to be a very close associate of Vladmir Putin, he now says the US company G is refusing to service and maintain his private jet, it can't fly, it remains parked on the ground here in Moscow, how he now gets around? he says in a worst case scenario he can charter a flight, but it's now very convenient.

Phil Black, CNN, Moscow.