Ukraine has officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is unsafe for civilian flights. This decision follows an appeal by President Volodymyr Zelensky to airlines, reports infohub.kz.
According to Euronews, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha informed about the notification sent to ICAO. In his social media account, he emphasized: "Ukraine has officially notified ICAO that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation due to increased military activity. We urge everyone to avoid it."
The minister said Moscow "deliberately ignores existing threats." Sybiha added: "It is our responsible decision to notify ICAO, all airlines, and governments to take precautionary measures, even if Russia refuses to fulfill its obligation to inform them. We want to prevent unintentional incidents."
The International Civil Aviation Organization, as reported by RIA Novosti, responded to Kyiv's statements regarding Russian airspace. They reminded that the Convention on International Civil Aviation obliges all ICAO member states to ensure the protection of civilian aircraft. The organization noted: "The Convention on International Civil Aviation obliges all ICAO member states to ensure the protection of civilian aircraft and prohibits the use of weapons against them."
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on his Telegram channel that the airspace over Russia is becoming unsafe due to attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.