US airlines can still fly over Russia, Moscow says

US airlines are still able to fly in Russian air space, the transport ministry assured on Wednesday despite a transit agreement between Washington and Moscow expiring shortly.

"The Transport Minister of the Russian Federation confirms that flights of American companies over Russian territory are still authorised according to the existing scheme before new negotiations," transport ministry spokesman Timur Khikmatov told AFP.

"This week we sent our American colleagues a proposal to negotiate on this issue. A date for the negotiations has not been agreed yet. We are waiting for an answer from our American colleagues," he added.