Ukrainian Airspace Shuts Down to Civilian Aircraft
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Airspace all over Ukraine has been restricted for civil flights, according to a notice to airmen (NOTAM) distributed by government agencies and airport operators, as Russia has launched a "full scale invasion of Ukraine," Kiev’s foreign minister said.
The de-facto closure of the Ukrainian airspace went into effect at 01:56 local time on Thursday and is set to last till 23:59 the same day.
The notice cited “potential hazard for civil aviation” as the reason behind the alert.
Prior to the alert, the newly recognized Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) requested Russian military assistance against Ukrainian “aggression” and an alleged genocide of civilians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently announced on Thursday that a “special military operation” would take place in the Donbass region.
Meanwhile, Moscow confirms it has hit military targets in the country moments after the Kremlin issued an order for a “special operation” in the breakaway Donbass region.
In a statement issued early on Thursday morning, Dmitry Kuleba accused Putin of attacking his country and called for international assistance.
"Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes," he added, with claims coming in of explosions near the capital, Kiev. "This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win," he insisted. "The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now."
His comments came after Putin signed a decree authorizing the use of military force following a request for support from the leaders of the separatist Donetsk and Lugansk regions. “Circumstances require us to take decisive and immediate action," the order reads.
In a televised address to the nation, the Russian president said that that he wanted to "demilitarize" and "de-Nazify" Ukraine.
A number of Ukrainian military installations are believed to have been targeted by missile strikes, and there have been reports of large-scale Russian troop movements. Airports and landing strips also appear to have been destroyed.
The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has convened the National Security and Defense Council and Ukrainian airspace has been closed. "We are strong, we will win," he said in a video statement.
Blasts have been reported in cities close to the Donbass contact line, including Mariupol, a major port city in Donetsk region, as well as further afield. A CNN crew in Kiev has reported hearing explosions, while others have been reported in Odessa and Kharkov.
Speaking to RIA Novosti, Moscow's Defense Ministry confirmed that high-precision weapons have been used to hit infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields and planes belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces. Russia has also closed its airspace in much of the south to civilian planes, and suspended rail links between major cities in the area.