The UK has denied visas to Russian officials heading to the Farnborough International Airshow Trade 2014 over its alleged involvement in Ukraine in a move that appears to escalate tension between Moscow and the West.

      According to Agence France-Press, the Foreign Office did not send invitations to Russian aviation experts to the airshow.

      Out of 17 members of the Rosoboronexport, Russia’s defense exports monopoly, only five were granted visas. The high-profile exhibition was supposed to be visited by many more Russian CEOs and officials, including representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, state corporations and agencies Roscosmos, Rosaviation, Rostechnologies, the Irkut corporation, MiG, OBORONPROM, Helicopters of Russia, Sukhoi, the United Aircraft Corporation, and others.

      Traditionally, Russia has played a role in the aviation industry, producing top-end military and civilian aircraft, including helicopters.

      Russia has sparked a wave of criticism after it incorporated Crimea into its territory following a referendum on the peninsula with a large ethnic Russian population.

      The US and the EU imposed a raft of sanctions on Russian officials and individuals with close ties to the Kremlin.

      The US also put space and military cooperation on hold, followed by some of its NATO allies, including the UK.

      Trade between the EU and Russia fell sharply in 1Q 2014, echoing a sour political relationship between Moscow and Brussels split over the Ukraine crisis.

      According to Eurostat, EU imports from Russia dropped more than 9 percent in the first quarter of this year totaling €49.1 billion in March, versus €54.4 billion in the first quarter of 2013.

      As Euractiv.com points out, in 2013 the EU only had 27 members, which means the slide is in fact “even more significant”.

      EU exports to Moscow saw a 10.5 percent decrease, shrinking from €28.7 billion to €25.6 billion.