Flights from the UAE to Ukraine are suspended.
Flydubai has cancelled flights from Dubai to Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, and to the southern port city of Odessa owing to the continuing situation in the Eastern European country.
Wizz Air has also temporarily suspended flights from Abu Dhabi to its two destinations in Ukraine and Etihad Airways, which does not operate direct flights to Ukraine, is avoiding the country's airspace on other routes.
Air Arabia has also suspended flights from Sharjah.
On Thursday, Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights, citing a high risk to safety. The country has instituted martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation”, declaring the conflict in the country's eastern Donbas region had reached a point of dramatic escalation.
The Dubai airline has cancelled flights between the two destinations effective immediately.
"Flydubai flights between Dubai and Ukraine have been temporarily suspended until March 8. We will be in touch with our passengers regarding their refund and rebooking options,” a representative for the airline told The National.
From Abu Dhabi, low-cost airline Wizz Air flies to two locations in Kiev. These services are now suspended, with the airline citing that the safety of passengers and crew is a priority.
-
Firefighters arrive at a military building in Kiev that was damaged in an explosion. EPA -
A man looks at the debris of an unidentified object in the aftermath of an explosion in Kiev. EPA -
Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv. AFP -
People take shelter in a Kiev subway station, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a military operation in eastern Ukraine. Reuters -
A Kiev underground train station provides some shelter. Reuters -
Clear airspace over Ukraine, shortly after the attack began, as shown on the Flightradar24 website. AP -
Kiev residents leave the city following pre-offensive missile strikes by the Russian armed forces and Belarus. Getty -
Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the attack in a televised address, saying it was to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine. AP -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the nation in Kiev. He has declared martial law, saying Russia has targeted Ukraine's military infrastructure. AP -
Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a house in Muratovo, in Ukraine's Luhansk enclave. AFP -
The house is said to have been hit during shelling by Russian-backed separatists. AFP -
The coffin of Capt Anton Sidorov is carried by members of the honour guard during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence in Kiev, Ukraine. Getty -
A picture memorial for those killed in the confrontation between Ukraine's military and pro-Russia separatist forces, in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. AP -
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Russia's Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, attend a Security Council meeting in New York to discuss the crisis in Ukraine. Reuters -
Ukraine's UN ambassador Sergey Kyslytsya speaks during an emergency meeting of the Security Council. AP -
US Army soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division head towards an air base near Arlamow, Poland. Reuters -
An employee works at the gun counter of a tactical equipment shop in Kiev, Ukraine. Getty -
A Ukrainian soldier speaks on a walkie-talkie at his position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine. AP -
A man removes his belongings from his house after it was struck by artillery shells in Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine. AP -
A damaged house in Vibrovka village. EPA -
A man shows a poster in support of Ukraine as he protests against the escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine, in Berlin. AP -
Soldiers carry the coffin of Capt Anton Sydorov, 35, after he was killed in eastern Ukraine. AP -
Workers look into a destroyed house after shelling near the city of Novoluhanske in Donetsk. Reuters -
Destroyed buildings in Krasnogorivka, Ukraine. AFP -
Smoke rises from a power plant after shelling outside the town of Schastia, a day after Moscow recognised two Ukrainian separatist republics and ordered the Russian Army to send in troops as ‘peacekeepers’. AFP -
A Ukrainian Army soldier trudges through the wintry streets of Schastia on patrol. AFP -
Three women run for cover during shelling in Schastia, eastern Ukraine. AFP -
Russian tanks and armoured vehicles on the road in Rostov. EPA -
A woman shares food with dogs in Stanytsia Luhanska, a crossing point between Ukrainian government-controlled areas and pro-Russian separatists' territory. AP -
People wave Russian flags in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, in eastern Ukraine. AP -
A tank drives along a street in the city of Donetsk. Reuters -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the nation on TV and says 'we are not afraid' after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Donetsk and Luhansk, two Moscow-backed rebel regions of Ukraine. AFP -
A military truck in Donetsk after Mr Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to the city. Reuters -
Russian state television showed Mr Putin signing a decree recognising the independence of the two Ukrainian breakaway regions. Reuters -
US President Joe Biden signs an executive order at the White House to prohibit trade and investment between US individuals and the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine. Reuters -
Mr Putin signs documents, including the decree recognising two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Reuters -
Ukraine ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, addresses an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation between Ukraine and Russia in New York. EPA
“Due to the current events in Ukraine and the airspace closure, Wizz Air regrets to inform our customers that the airline must temporarily suspend all flight operations in the country. Passengers with flights booked on arriving or departing Ukrainian flights can find more information on wizzair.com" said a representative for the airline.
"The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our number one priority and we hope normality will return to Ukraine soon."
From Sharjah, flights to Kiev with Air Arabia are also suspended.
“Given the current situation and due to airspace closure, Air Arabia will temporarily suspend its flights between Sharjah and Ukraine until further notice," an Air Arabia representative confirmed.
Etihad Airways has rerouted flights away from the country as a precautionary measure. The national airline of the UAE does not operate direct flights to Ukraine, but is now avoiding the country's airspace on other routes.
“Etihad continues to completely avoid Ukrainian airspace, and as a precautionary measure, has rerouted flights away from the border region to the east and north of Ukraine by a considerable distance. The safety and well-being of our guests is always Etihad’s highest priority," an Etihad representative told The National.
"As this is an evolving situation, we continue to vigilantly monitor and assess emerging airspace restrictions and threats. Etihad will update guests of any changes to itineraries and flight schedules over the coming days, as we continue to prioritise the safety of our guests and staff.”
Emirates does not operate flights to Ukraine.
UAE airlines are the latest to cancel flights to Ukraine in recent days.
On Monday, Air France suspended flights as a “precautionary measure”.
German airline Lufthansa cancelled flights to Kiev and Odessa on Saturday, stating that the ban would be in place until the end of February.
Ukraine airspace closed
The Ukraine State Air Traffic Services Enterprise announced the country's airspace was closed to civilian flights from 0045 GMT on Thursday.
Europe's aviation regulator has also warned about the hazards of flying to the bordering areas of Russia and Belarus, because of military activities.
On Thursday, Russia also reportedly announced it is closing its airspace to civilian flights on its borders with Ukraine and Belarus.
India repatriation flight returns mid-air
An Air India repatriation flight to Kiev turned around mid-air after the announcement that Ukraine's airspace was closed.
Flight number Al1947 from New Delhi was to have been the second of three special repatriation flights for Indians in Ukraine.
It had been in the air for two hours before airspace in Ukraine was closed, and turned around over Iran, according to flight-tracking website flightradar24.com.
