RUSSIA halted all commercial flights to Syria yesterday following last week’s airline disaster over the Sinai peninsula.

President Vladimir Putin took the step on the advice of the Federal Security Service (FSB), pending the outcome of investigations into the cause of the crash.

It comes after Britain and other countries suspended flights to the southern Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh over suspicions that the Metrojet Airbus A321 was brought down by a bomb.

Islamic State (Isis) claimed responsibility for the disaster that killed all 224 people on board, but provided no evidence.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the decision did not indicate that the government now viewed the crash as an act of terrorism.

On Thursday Russia and Egypt urged Britain and the US, who made the claims, not to jump to conclusions until air safety investigators had finished their work.

Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said wreckage from the plane has been brought to Moscow for tests.

“These are necessary samples from all parts where traces of explosives could be,” he said, apparently conceding that foul play was suspected.

“All of these samples have been delivered to Moscow, and we are studying them.”

Britain’s efforts to bring home hundreds of tourists stranded at Sharm el-Sheikh were complicated by new security measures, including a ban on hold luggage.

Passengers were told they could only take hand luggage aboard, while their suitcases would be checked for bombs and sent on separate flights.

Dutch carrier KLM also imposed a ban on hold luggage at Sharm el-Sheikh.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said: “We have the impression that there are insufficient security measures there.”

Ambassador John Casson faced a hostile reception when he arrived to reassure British nationals.

British carrier EasyJet had been due to operate 10 flights from the Red Sea resort but said eight would not be able to fly because Egypt had suspended them.

“We are working with the UK government at the highest level on a solution,” it said in a statement.

Two other carriers, Monarch and British Airways, said they still planned flights from Sinai yesterday to bring home some of the 20,000 Brits at the resort.