Dozens of flights are diverting their routes around Ukraine after the airspace was closed following the full invasion of russia this Thursday morning.
Rough estimates suggest an area as large as 1,000 miles wide is currently being avoided amid the ongoing conflict, and flights between the UK and the Eastern European country have been suspended as a result.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) updated its flight recommendations on Thursday in response “to the developing conflict in Ukraine” and asked air operators to avoid areas of the airspace of Ukraine, Russia, Moldova and Belarus due to “high risk”. .
The agency cited the Lviv, Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Simferopol and Odessa Flight Information Regions (FIRs) in Ukraine, Chisinau in Moldova, and Moscow FIR areas near the Ukrainian border.
In addition, the recommendation extends to the Rostov (Russia) FIR in the southern part along the border with Ukraine and the Minsk FIR in Belarus.
Russian attack
“Following airstrikes by the Russian armed forces, 74 ground military installations were put out of action. This includes 11 air force airfields.”The spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, General Igor Konashénkov, announced this Thursday on television.
The images of flightradar24 aviation website they show that there are no civilian aircraft in Ukrainian airspace and very few over neighboring Moldova and Belarus, where many Russian troops are positioned.
Warning to air operators
“Operators must not act within the mentioned airspace, including landings and departures from airports located in the affected airspace,” according to EASA, which is based in the German city of Cologne.
The European agency further recommends that air operators “exercise caution when operating throughout the Moscow and Rostov Flight Information Region due to increased military activity, which may include launches of medium-range missiles that penetrate controlled airspace. ”.
The EASA warns that, in the current circumstances, “airspace and critical infrastructure (…) including airports, are exposed to military activities that generate security risks for civil aircraft. In particular, there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft.”
The presence and possible use of a wide range of ground and air warfare systems poses a high risk to civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels.
The EASA statement recalls that “the situation remains fluid and is subject to rapid change. EASA will monitor developments regarding this case and adjust recommendations accordingly,” he adds.
Wizz Air canceled its flights between Luton airport and the Ukrainian cities of Kiev and Lviv on Thursday, before Ryanair and Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), the other airlines that fly between the two countries, also suspended those routes.
Other travel to global destinations is likely to be affected, with planes having to take sometimes lengthy detours. It comes after the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice to warn that British citizens in Ukraine: “should not expect further consular support or help with evacuation”. (I)
More news about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
Source: Eluniverso
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