Ukraine presents roadmap for partially opening airspace during war

The Communities and Territories Development Ministry presented in Warsaw a roadmap for partially opening Ukraine's airspace, which has been closed throughout the full-scale invasion, according to a statement by the ministry published on Oct. 30.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's airspace has been closed to all flights due to the risk of Russian attacks. The Ukrainian government has nonetheless looked for ways to restore the industry during the war.

Deputy Communities and Territories Development Minister Serhii Derkach introduced a step-by-step plan for a partial reopening of the airspace at a conference in Warsaw.

Risk assessments for civil aviation, peculiarities of ensuring air navigation safety, Ukraine's airports' readiness to resume operations, and mechanisms for coordinating civil and military aviation were also discussed.

The ministry did not say which airports would open under the plan. The Kyiv Independent earlier reported in March that three airports were rumored to be in consideration if, and when, the country is able to open its airspace during the war: the western Lviv and Uzhhorod airports and Kyiv’s Boryspil airport.

Besides the ministry, the roadmap was developed with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, the State Aviation Service, the State Enterprise for Air Traffic Services (Uksatse), the Air Force Command, and the heads of Ukrainian international airports, including Boryspil and Lviv.

"This is the first expert discussion that we expect will help us move forward in creating the conditions for opening the airspace. During the war, our strategic objective is to preserve aviation infrastructure and qualified personnel so that when the time comes, we can resume civilian flights as quickly as possible," said Oleksii Kuleba, the communities and territories development minister.

Mary Elizabeth Madden, economic counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine in its efforts to restore civil aviation and the willingness of the U.S. to provide expert and technical assistance.

International airlines, including LOT Polish Airlines, SkyUp Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Wizz Air, and others, also joined the discussion on opening airspace in Ukraine during martial law.

On April 11, 2023, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) published a seven-year forecast that included the likelihood of restrictions over Ukrainian airspace remaining in place until 2029.

The State Enterprise for Air Traffic Services said in 2023 that Ukrainian airspace "will reopen after the war ends."

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