{"id":66271,"date":"2022-02-24T01:44:43","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T01:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/02\/24\/ukraine-shuts-airports-warns-of-airspace-danger\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:15:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:15:39","slug":"ukraine-shuts-airports-warns-of-airspace-danger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/02\/24\/ukraine-shuts-airports-warns-of-airspace-danger\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainian airspace closed to civilian flights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The latest on the <\/b>Russian invasion of Ukraine<\/b><\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airspace over all of Ukraine has been shut down to civilian air traffic, according to a notice posted to air crews early Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commercial flight tracking website shows that an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only other aircraft tracked over Ukraine is a U.S. RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned surveillance plane that began flying westward out of Ukraine after Russia put in place flight restrictions over Ukrainian territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ukrainian government is closing airports in eastern Ukraine from midnight through 7 a.m. because of the confrontation with Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian aviation authorities also have declared some airspace in the east to be \u201cdanger areas\u201d because of attempts by Russian aviation authorities to seize control of the airspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine acted after Russia issued a ban on civilian air traffic in airspace over eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement Wednesday night establishes buffer zones for traffic controlled by Ukrainian authorities to avoid coming into potentially hazardous conflict with air traffic controlled by Russian authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Ukrainian aviation officials warned pilots in the region to be on the lookout for Russian authorities trying to take control of the airspace and to only recognize Ukraine\u2019s controllers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Nations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday night at the request of Ukraine, which says there is an immediate threat of a Russian invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting comes two days after the 15-member council held an emergency open meeting also requested by Ukraine. That session saw no support for Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s declaration of independence for two separatist areas in Ukraine\u2019s east and his announcement that Russian troops would be heading there<\/a> to keep the peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Demonstrators hold placards and flags as they attend a protest outside the Russian Embassy, in London, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Alberto Pezzali\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The meeting Wednesday night comes as council diplomats are finalizing a draft resolution that they say would make clear that Russia is violating the U.N. Charter, international law and a 2015 council resolution endorsing the Minsk agreements aimed at restoring peace in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They say the resolution would urge Russia to get back into compliance immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia extends visa deadlines for Ukrainians<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s prime minister says Ukrainians in Australia whose Australian visas will expire by the end of June will be allowed to stay an additional six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said Thursday that Ukrainians applying for Australian visas will be given priority over other nationalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morrison made the announcement a day after Australia imposed sanctions on eight members of Russia\u2019s Security Council in response to Russia\u2019s actions against Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanctions have also been placed on a series of banks and financial institution. Sanctions that have existed since 2014 on the transport, energy, minerals and telecommunications sectors have been extended to rebel-held areas of Ukraine that Russia recognizes as independent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelenskyy addresses Ukraine<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s president is rejecting Moscow\u2019s claim that his country poses a threat to Russia and warns that a looming Russian invasion could cause tens of thousands of deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\t