Toronto : Canada has issued a ban on flights in the airspace of Ukraine and surrounding areas in light of Russia’s military operation, Transport Canada said on Thursday.
“In response to the unfolding conflict targeting Ukraine, we’ve issued a [Notice to Airmen] NOTAM prohibiting Canadian air operators and owners of Canadian-registered aircraft from entering Ukrainian airspace,” Transport Canada said in a statement via Twitter. The ban also applies to the airspace within 100 miles of Ukraine’s borders, including the Russian cities of Moscow and Rostov, Belarus’ Minsk and Chisinau, Moldova, the ministry said.
In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special operation after the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested assistance to defend themselves from ongoing attacks by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.