No Recommendation on Flight Bans in Ukraine From EASA, Zelenskyy's Office Says
12:43 GMT 13.02.2022 (Updated: 12:56 GMT 13.02.2022)
© Sputnik / Andrey Voloshin
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) did not make recommendations regarding the restriction of flights over Ukraine, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the country's presidential office, said.
"The sky over Ukraine is open, the authorities did not make a decision to close the airspace. EASA also made no recommendations to restrict flights in Ukrainian airspace. We use facts, not assumptions. Most airlines continue to operate without restrictions," Tymoshenko said on Facebook.
Kiev will also implement measures to support air carriers soon, he added.
Earlier in the day, the Irish lessor prohibited a plane of the Ukrainian airline SkyUp from entering Ukraine's airspace. The flight, which was headed from Portugal's Madeira to Kiev, landed in neighbouring Moldova.
Ukrainian digital news outlet Strana.ua reported on Saturday, citing sources, that a pool of major international insurance companies was preparing to announce that it would stop covering the flights in Ukraine's airspace starting Monday. Dutch carrier KLM has already cancelled its Ukraine-bound flights.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure said on Sunday that the country's airspace remains open and the government is working out measures to avert risks for air carriers.
"The sky over Ukraine remains open, and the country is working to prevent risks for air carriers. The information about the closure of Ukrainian airspace is not true. The closure of airspace is a sovereign right of Ukraine, and no such decision has been made," the ministry said on Facebook.
Ukraine sees no point in closing its airspace, the adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak, said, quoted by Reuters.
"The most important point is that Ukraine itself sees no point in closing the sky. This is nonsense. And, in my opinion, it somewhat resembles a kind of partial blockade," Podolyak said.
"The most important point is that Ukraine itself sees no point in closing the sky. This is nonsense. And, in my opinion, it somewhat resembles a kind of partial blockade," Podolyak said.
At the same time, international insurance companies have notified Ukrainian air carriers of the termination of aircraft insurance when flying over the country due to the risk of hostilities, Ukrainian SkyUp airline announced.
"On February 12, 2022, the world's largest insurance companies informed Ukrainian air carriers that they will stop insuring aircraft for flights in Ukrainian airspace within 48 hours. This decision is associated with increased risks of the outbreak of hostilities. Accordingly, the owners of aircraft, lessors, demand the urgent return of aircraft to the EU," the company said.
"On February 12, 2022, the world's largest insurance companies informed Ukrainian air carriers that they will stop insuring aircraft for flights in Ukrainian airspace within 48 hours. This decision is associated with increased risks of the outbreak of hostilities. Accordingly, the owners of aircraft, lessors, demand the urgent return of aircraft to the EU," the company said.
