Turkish Airlines (THY), Turkey's national air carrier, Monday announced that it had cancelled all flights between Istanbul and the city of Simferopol on the Crimean Peninsula until June 17 amid escalating tension Anadolu Agency reported.
THY stated that passengers should check their flights on the THY website or call 444 0 849.
Pro-Moscow forces took control of the Crimean Peninsula in late February, and following a referendum in the region, Crimea decided to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has since signed into law the annexation of Ukraine's strategic peninsula amid criticism and sanctions from the European Union and the U.S.