Manchester United drop Russian sponsor in wake of Ukraine invasion

Manchester United had held a commercial agreement with the Russian state airline since 2013

(Manchester United via Getty Imag)

Manchester United have dropped the sponsorship of Russian state airline Aeroflot following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, it has been confirmed.

A club spokesperson said: “In light of events in Ukraine, we have withdrawn Aeroflot’s sponsorship rights. We share the concerns of our fans around the world and extend our sympathies to those affected.”

The move comes after the UK banned Aeroflot from its airspace following Vladimir Putin’s incursion into Ukraine that began on Thursday.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that Aeroflot has been suspended from operating flights into the UK until further notice.

Aeroflot had held a commercial agreement with Manchester United since 2013 and were the Premier League club’s “official carrier”.

The decision to ban Aeroflot from UK airspace was part of the sanctions against Russia announced by prime minister Boris Johnson.

It comes after Uefa stripped Russia of the Champions League final and moved the May 28 match from St Petersburg to Paris.