Russia's federal air-transport agency, Rosaviatsia, has recommended that domestic airlines with foreign-leased aircraft suspend all flights abroad, except to neighboring Belarus, from March 8.
The March 5 announcement discouraging both passenger and cargo flights is a de facto recognition of the crushing effect of international sanctions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine 10 days ago.
Rosaviatsia suggested that such routes would risk Russian airlines' planes being impounded based on fresh bans on the lease of planes to Russia.
The recommendation excluded Russia airlines with Russian planes or ones that don't risk seizure.
Flagship national carrier Aeroflot quickly announced it was halting all of its international flights, except to Belarusian destinations.
It cited "circumstances that hinder operating flights."
The Aeroflot halt also affected subsidiaries Rossia and Aurora airlines.
Aeroflot said it would cancel return tickets for passengers departing Russia after March 6 but respect one-way tickets until March 8.
Belarus allowed tens of thousands of Russian troops on its soil ahead of their incurion into northern Ukraine late last month, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has propped up Alyaksandr Lukashenka since the latter claimed victory in a 2020 presidential vote that the opposition said was fraudulent.
S7, Russia's largest private airline, said earlier this week that it was suspending all its international flights.