Medvedchuk travels to Russia by private jet despite direct flights ban, - media. VIDEO+PHOTOS

Russian President Vladimir Putin's close friend and Ukraine's representative in the Minsk humanitarian subgroup Viktor Medvedchuk regularly travels from Ukraine to Russia by his private jet in defiance of the direct flights suspension between the two countries imposed in October 2015 by the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine.

Censor.NET reports referring to a video investigation of Skhemy (Schemes) project by Radio Svoboda and UA:Pershyi nationalnyi TV station.

The journalists have recorded three such cases in total.

During four months of watching Medvedchuk, all other private planes traveled to Moscow and other Russian cities landing in Gomel (Belarus).

Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian confirmed that the ban on direct flights between Ukraine and Russia extends to private aircraft. He said such flights have to be sanctioned by the Ukrainian and Russian authorities.

Medvedchuk's Ukrainian Choice NGO told journalists the permission for direct flights is issued by the Ukrainian and Russian authorities, citing participation in official talks as a key reason.

"Viktor Medvedchuk's visits to the Russian Federation are official and connected with his diplomatic activity. During these visits, he takes part in negotiations with the leadership of the Russian Federation. As a result of such negotiations Nadiia Savchenko, Yurii Soloshenko and Hennadii Afanasiev were released. Negotiations to free Oleh Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Mykola Karpiuk and Stanislav Klykh are currently underway," the NGO explained.