20th April, 2018
U.S. Embassy in Russia refuted the information which allegedly said that crew members of Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot allegedly have problems with applications for U.S. entry visa interviews in Russia.
The spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow Anfrea Kalan said this on Friday.
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that crews of Aeroflot were experiencing increasing difficulties with obtaining U.S. visas.
The ministry warned that the sharp reduction in issuance of U.S. entry visas for Russian citizens might lead to suspension of regular flights between the two countries.
“Assertions that Aeroflot crew members are unable to get visa appointments in Russia are unhelpful and simply false.
“We regularly set aside dedicated interview slots for crew member visas throughout our consulates in Russia, and many of these slots actually go unfilled.
“Airline crew members are welcome to make use of these dedicated interview times or may apply for visas at our embassies and consulates in other countries around the world,’’ Kalan said.
Earlier in the day, an Aeroflot’s spokesperson told Sputnik that the company had appealed to the Russian Foreign and Transport Ministries over the problems its crews were experiencing in obtaining the U.S. visas.
The news came amid ongoing aggravation of tension in relations between Moscow and Washington, which have recently been at what U.S. President Donald Trump has called the lowest point.
On April 6, the U.S. Treasury Department added 38 Russian entrepreneurs, senior officials and companies to its sanctions list in response to Russia’s alleged “malign activity’’ around the world.