Russia initiates departure from Open Skies Treaty

Russia announced Friday that it is beginning the procedures to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty following the US' withdrawal last year.

"Once the procedures are completed, notifications will be sent to the treaty depositories," Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Given the lack of progress in efforts to remove obstacles preventing the functioning of the treaty in a new situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry is entitled to announce the start of domestic procedures to pave the way for Russia's withdrawal from the Treaty on Open Skies," it added.

The Open Skies Treaty entered into force in 2002 with the participation of 34 member states, allowing the countries to fly unarmed aircraft surveillance flights over each other's territories.

The US formally withdrew from the treaty in November last year.