Russia delegation barred from Britain’s air show

London: Britain said on Saturday that it had barred a Russian delegation from attending the Farnborough air show because of the Ukraine crisis, sparking an angry reaction from Russia.

The Russian embassy in London expressed “regret” that Britain had not issued visas to a large part of its delegation and demanded an explanation.

The Farnborough International Airshow is a key event in the aviation sector calendar, with Russia usually sending a sizeable contingent as it seeks foreign sales. Britain has been a strong backer of EU asset bans and travel freezes against Moscow.

“Due to Russian actions in Ukraine, no representatives from the Russian government have been issued invitations to FIA,” an official said.