Remember the "last minute" ICBM launch by Russia just as the Crimean tensions were peaking? Moments ago Russia revealed another such unexpected "military exercise" which resulted in a French Airbus380 airplane, with over 500 passengers and crew on board being diverted from Shanghai to Paris after Russia without a warning decided to shut down a part of its airspace.
From AP [5]:
Air France says a plane carrying 495 passengers and 22 crew was diverted on its way from Shanghai to Paris after Russia announced at short notice that part of its airspace was closed for a military exercise.
The company said flight AF111 was forced to land in Hamburg, Germany, early Wednesday to refuel because the plane had too little fuel on board to complete the flight following its detour.
Hamburg Airport confirmed that the plane landed shortly after 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) and was able to take off for Paris again after an hour and a half.
It wasn't immediately clear if Russia's military exercise was linked to the increased troop activity on its western border with Ukraine.
Considering that Russia is the largest country in the world, and is located at a rather strategic position between the East and West, perhaps this is merely Putin's latest warning about just how Russia's "military drills" will respond to Europe should further sanctions be enacted. Because flights from Shanghai to Europe across the Pacific, and over the US, may not be quite an agreeable retaliation to the old continent.