ISTANBUL, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Russian passenger plane landed in Istanbul on Monday after being denied entry into Greek airspace, local media reported.
The plane took off from Russia's capital Moscow and was flying through Turkish territory to Verona, Italy, the Sozcu daily reported.
Greece, however, refused to allow the plane to use its airspace because of the European Union's sanctions against Russia following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to Sozcu.
After hovering in the air near the Turkey-Greece border, the aircraft landed in Istanbul's main international airport at about 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).
The plane is scheduled to take off with its passengers and return to Moscow shortly after refuelling, according to media reports. ■